“Exceptionally rare” event: For the second time this year, twins are born to mountain gorillas

Just a few months after welcoming a pair of mountain gorilla twins in early 2026, Virunga National Park has welcomed another gorilla family.

The second pair of twins, believed to be a female and a male, was born just two weeks ago to a mother from the Baraka family in Virunga National Park in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

According to , the news comes in the wake of the arrival of twins, both males, in the Bageni family, in January.

All this is “exceptionally rare“, states the park. Twins are not the norm in primates, including us humans. Approximately 3% of human births are twins globally, and this number is believed to be even lower in gorillas, somewhere around 1%.

The park is unsure of the origin of this sudden wave of twin births, but says it is a strong indication that the females are in particularly good health.

Another factor could be where these gorillas live in the park, which is rich in varied vegetation and at different altitudesperfectly suited for mountain gorillas to roam and rest.

With the latest births, a total of nine new babies were born into the habituated mountain gorilla population in Virunga only in the first three months of 2026.

It is a truly optimistic and rare news for mountain gorillas, an endangered subspecies of the eastern gorilla that can only be found in a single corridor in Central Africa, between the Virunga Massif and the Bwindi Forest.

“Two cases of twin births in 3 months are a extraordinary event and constitute 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 in Virunga National Park,” he said. Jacques Katuturesponsible for monitoring gorillas in Virunga National Park.

While births of double twins are welcome additions to Virunga’s gorilla population, bring with them their own challenges. Gorilla mothers are prepared to raise one baby at a time, and carrying, nursing, and caring for two simultaneously puts a enormous pressure on them.

That said, the January twins are reportedly growing up well, which bodes well for the latest pair. Rangers will continue to carefully watch the newborns and their mother as they gain strength.