Gorillas give birth in Virunga National Park

Two significant births have been recorded among gorilla populations in the Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ndala, a 12-year-old mountain gorilla, was spotted with her newborn son on October 6. This marks the 16th birth monitored in the Mikeno sector since January. The Humba group, which includes Ndala, now consists of 19 individuals. Mountain gorillas are currently classified as endangered, with approximately 1,075 remaining in the wild.

In a separate success for conservation efforts, Lulingu, a Grauer’s gorilla (also known as the eastern lowland gorilla), has also given birth after being reintroduced to the wild. Lulingu was rescued from a wildlife trafficking network in 2016 and rehabilitated at the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center before being released near Mt. Tshiaberimu. Conservationists noted that her ability to raise a baby is a sign of successful adaptation to her natural habitat.