The Volcanoes National Park is announcing the birth of twins in one group of mountain gorillas, Hirwa. The good news was announced by RDB gorilla trackers of the Hirwa group on Thursday 3rd 2011 after observing the twins, who were born to the mother called Kabatwa. The twins are both males and looked very healthy at birth.
The Volcanoes National Park is announcing the birth of twins in one group of mountain gorillas, Hirwa. The good news was announced by RDB gorilla trackers of the Hirwa group on Thursday 3rd 2011 after observing the twins, who were born to the mother called Kabatwa. The twins are both males and looked very healthy at birth.
The birth of twins is a rare event for any population of gorillas, and very few cases of twins have been documented in the wild or captivity. Mountain gorillas usually give a singleton birth and during more than 40 years of gorilla monitoring in Rwanda, only five cases of twins have been recorded.
In 2004, twins were born is Susa group to the mother Nyabitondore. In addition to being the first twins to have survived and reached the adult age (now aged 6.5 years), the Susa twins called Byishimo and Impano are famously known for having been named by the President of the Republic of Rwanda Paul Kagame and First lady Jeannette Kagame during the first public and national launching of the gorilla naming ceremony in 2005.
Prosper Uwingeli, the Chief Park Warden of Volcanoes National Park has coordinated the research and close monitoring of Byishimo and Impano since the birth. He says “the investigation of maternal investment and other Susa group members in raising Impano and Byishimo to the adulthood will shed light on the factors that contributed to their survival. The twins in Hirwa group provide another opportunity for comparative research on this rare case of twining in primates, therefore continuing to get more knowledge and reference for gorilla research.
Just one day before twins’ birth in Hirwa, there was another birth in Amahoro group from the mother called Kubaha. The three baby gorillas bring the number of newly born and unnamed gorillas to 13 gorillas that will be named in the next gorilla naming ceremony scheduled for June 2011.
Commenting on the news, the Head of Tourism and Conservation department in Rwanda Development Board Rica Rwigamba said “it is great news following the release of the results of 2010 gorilla census in virunga chain habitat; 26.2% increase was reported from 380 gorillas in 2003 to 480 gorillas in 2010. She said “we are grateful to what different people and organizations are doing to make gorilla conservation a success, and recognize the support from the Government of Rwanda”.
For further information, please email info@volcanoesnationalpark.org