\u00a0Mountain gorillas<\/a> (Gorilla beringei beringei) are found only in the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda where they live almost entirely in the national parks of East Africa\u2019s Virunga Mountains. Mountain gorillas are one of two subspecies of eastern gorillas (G. beringei). They are considered endangered<\/a>, while eastern gorillas as a whole are critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n \u00a0Virunga park authorities are celebrating the twin birth as a success from \u201congoing conservation efforts to support the continued growth of the endangered mountain gorilla population,\u201d the park said in a statement<\/a> to Mongabay. <\/p>\n \u00a0However, caring for the twins remains a challenge for their mom and for park staff. Mafuko gave birth to another set of twins in 2016 but they died at just a week old. \u201cAdditional monitoring and protection measures will be deployed to closely observe the twins and support their health and survival during this critical early period,\u201d the park said in a statement to Mongabay.<\/p>\n Monitoring efforts are further complicated by ongoing security challenges in the park since the 1994 genocide in neighboring Rwanda. Mafuko lost her mother<\/a> to armed individuals in 2007, according to the park. That same year, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recorded 10 mountain gorilla deaths<\/a>. According to UNEP, one of the main drivers behind these killings was demand for charcoal. Armed groups use the park\u2019s quality trees to produce charcoal, leading to habitat loss and gorillas caught in the crossfire of armed conflict. <\/p>\n The security situation deteriorated further with the resurgence of the M23 armed rebel movement, which now controls a large portion of the park. Escalating conflict between M23, DRC armed forces, militias and local self-defense groups has fueled poaching, deforestation, habitat loss<\/a> and illegal trafficking. Still, park authorities, supported by local communities<\/a>, continue their work to protect and support mountain gorillas in Virunga. <\/p>\n \u00a0Banner image: Mafuko holding her two newborns. Additional monitoring and protection measures will be deployed to make sure they survive, according to the park. Image courtesy of Virunga National Park.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a5d6d52d085b07261a3805ebafd898a2b9f15ed2fdb47495c07eb2dae924b0ab.png\")
<\/p>\n