Rare twins born in DRC raise cautious hope for endangered mountain gorillas | Endangered species
IIt was noon when Jacques Katutu first saw the newborn mountain gorillas. Cuddled in the arms of their mother, Mafuko, the tiny twins clung to her body for warmth in a forest clearing in Virunga national park in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Katutu, head of the gorilla tracking unit in Virunga, has seen dozens of newborns during his 15 years as a ranger. But he tells the Guardian that even he was struck by the sight of fragile baby boys facing serious obstacles if they want to become silverbacks one day.
“Given that twins are extremely vulnerable, watching Mafuko hold two babies was both emotional and filled me with responsibility,” she says.
“Twin birth in mountain gorillas is extremely rare and always poses significant survival challenges. On the one hand, we are cautious and alert, but on the other hand, we maintain hope. The first four weeks are the most critical.”
The mother and her babies have been monitored daily since they were spotted on January 3, and specialist veterinarians are on hand if the gorillas show signs of distress. Rangers say the young males are healthy for now, but the subspecies high infant mortality rates – nearly a quarter are victims of disease, trauma or infanticide.
Mafuko gave birth to twins in 2016, but neither survived more than a few days. The males were born into the Bageni family, Virunga’s largest group of mountain gorillas, currently numbering 59 members. Despite the rangers’ warnings, their arrival marked another milestone in one of the great conservation success stories of the last century.
In the 1970s, it was divided between two isolated areas in southwestern Uganda and the Virunga massive mountain range, but only 250 mountain gorillas remained and many thought the animals were in danger of extinction.
Decades of intense conservation efforts saw the population number surpass 1,000 in 2018, and the gorilla subspecies has since been downgraded from critically endangered to endangered by conservation authorities.
But the DRC section of the Virunga range remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for wildlife rangers. More than 220 rangers have been killed in the past 20 years in the park, where rebel groups such as M23 and other militias, as well as bandits, operate with impunity.
Conservationists say Mafuko is an example of the species’ resilience. Her mother was killed by an attacker when she was four years old, but she gave birth to many cubs, including newborns.
“Mafuko is an experienced mother. She carries both babies and is attentive to their needs. This is encouraging, although the situation is delicate,” says Katutu.
“We monitor the twins and the mother closely, observing her breastfeeding and the general health of the newborns. It is our priority to allow her to care for her babies naturally and minimize intervention.”
Expert veterinary care has played a leading role in the revival of the breed. In Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, organizations such as Gorilla Doctors have prevented dozens of deaths by helping animals affected by human behavior, such as the release of gorillas accidentally caught in poachers’ traps. a study He attributes half of the population growth of mountain gorillas to veterinarians.
Katutu says no babies will be named until their survival is certain. But at least for now, the signs are promising.
“Initial observations show that they are calm and communicate well with their mothers. Although their behavior is consistent with well-conditioned newborns, they remain very vulnerable,” he says.
More extinction age news can be found here and for more nature news follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on the Guardian app
