A second set of mountain gorilla twins has been recorded within three months in the DRC’s Virunga National Park, highlighting continued population growth within the protected area.
The latest birth occurred in the Baraka family in the park’s Mikeno sector, with the twins, believed to be a male and a female, estimated to be approximately two weeks old. The births bring the Baraka family to 19 individuals and increase the number of new gorilla births in the park to nine in the first three months of 2026.
Twin births in mountain gorillas remain rare, occurring in less than 1% of cases. However, this development follows a previous twin birth in January in the Bageni family, where two male gorillas were born to adult female Mafuko. The infants, now around 11 weeks old, are reported to be thriving. Field teams have observed strong social dynamics within the group, including a young male blackback that has remained close to the mother, displaying protective behaviour.
Jacques Katutu, Head of Gorilla Monitoring at Virunga National Park, said: “Two instances of twin births within three months is an extraordinary event and provides another vital indicator that dedicated conservation efforts, which have continued despite the current instability in eastern Congo, continue to support the growth of the endangered mountain gorilla population within Virunga National Park.”
See a video of the newly born gorilla twins here.
