Rare Mountain Gorilla Twins Celebrate Their Second Birthday, Gorilla Style!

Story by Prosper Uwingeli, a warden in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda.

When twin mountain gorillas were born in May 2004 in the lush Virunga mountains of Rwanda, observers were concerned about the health and safety of the twins as they grew older and bigger. No other set of mountain gorilla twins have survived in the wild. However, with every day that they survived there was more hope for their long term survival, as their mother was successfully doing the difficult job of caring for two infants at once.

Today the twins, Byishimo (which means Happiness) and Impano (which means Gift), celebrate their second birthday and both are very strong and healthy. The mother, Nyabitondore, is now more relaxed and less worried as the twins are developing skills towards independence: moving alone, climbing trees, feeding, and starting to make their own nests. During my visit to the group on their second year anniversary, I was privileged to experience what looked like a birthday party in Volcanoes National Park.

We found the group in the misty bamboo forest, feeding on fresh bamboo shoots. The bamboo shoots season is near its end and gorillas have to move a distance to find the last pieces. In addition to the bamboo, they feed on wild celery, thistles, and certain fruits. We came across the twins during feeding time, and they were feeding near the subordinate silverback male, Ukwakane. They often associate with Ukwakane and whenever you look for the twins and the mother you have to find that silverback. The mother was not far, but she was moving alone and met up with the twins later.

During the group resting period, the twins played together, and later with their sister Ishema and their mother Nyabitondore. The twins remain close and participate in activities together. They watch one another during feeding, when the time for resting comes they join one another, and they consult each other when it is time to join the mother for suckling.

The elder sister of the twins, Ishema, was the only member of the group who came to interrupt the twin's mutual interactions. She came at the resting site and invited the male twin, Impano, for grooming. The female twin, Byishimo, did not complain, instead, she became interested in Poppy's eight month old baby, who approached and initiated some playing around the twins.

Impano was the first to leave his elder sister Ishema and approached his mother, but he stopped on the way, turning to invite his twin sister Byishimo to join their mother together. The mother knew what they were looking for; she immediately embraced her amazing offspring and they started suckling. Nearby, the subordinate silverback Ukwakane, females Poppy, Muntu, Izuru and other juveniles watched the twins.

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