Rare Mountain Gorilla Twins Born in Virunga Park – Conservation Milestone

On January 3, 2026, Virunga National Park officials in war‑torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo announced that Mafuko, a 22‑year‑old female mountain gorilla of the Bageni family, had given birth to two healthy male infants. The twins were discovered in the park’s 7,700‑sq‑km expanse, the world’s oldest national park, which remains largely under rebel control. Mafuko, originally from the Kabirizi family, joined the Bageni six years after her mother was killed in 2007. She has had seven offspring, including a twin set that died a week after birth in 2016. The Bageni family now numbers 59 members, making it the largest in Virunga. Park rangers are closely monitoring the newborns to ensure their survival amid ongoing conflict and forest loss.