PREVIEW

Double trouble! Endangered mountain gorilla gives birth to twins. There’s been double baby joy for one of the world’s most endangered and majestic species after Mafuko, a mountain gorilla, gave birth to twins in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park. The newborns were discovered on 3 January by community trackers monitoring the health of gorilla families in the park. Further checks confirmed the twins were born to Mafuko, a member of the Bageni family of gorillas, and that both infants are male. The births increase the size of the Bageni family to 59 individuals, making it the largest gorilla group in the park. Twin births among mountain gorillas are considered rare and can be particularly challenging, especially in the early months when infants rely entirely on their mother for care and transport. Conservationists say the arrival of the new twins is a significant moment for the Bageni family and for wider efforts to protect the endangered mountain gorilla population in Virunga National Park. The ongoing protection and conservation of the gorillas at the park is supported by funding from the European Union and UNESCO.