Four Gorillas Rescued From Illegal Wildlife Trafficking Were Restored In The DRC

Four gorillas rescued from poachers were reintrod into Virunga National Park in the lush mountains of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

After several years of rehabilitation, the female endangered gorillas of the eastern plain - Mapendo, Njingala, Isangi and Lulingu - were moved to Mount Tshiaberima. This place means "mountain of spirits" in the local language because of the stories of the indigenous Baswagh clan about dark-haired spirit animals living deep in its forests. It is hoped that this step will be able to prevent the complete disappearance of a small population of gorillas in the region, increasing their number from eight to 12 and increasing the chances of successful reproduction in the future. Returning gorillas to their natural habitat is not an easy task. This requires patience, science and a deep understanding of their behavior and health. This step is the latest step in the five-year wildlife restoration process carried out by the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Center (GRACE), Virunga National Park and local communities with the support of Gorilla Doctors and Re:wild. In total, more than 400 people contributed to making this possible. "We have been taking care of these gorillas since they were babies. Our ultimate goal is to help them recover from the injury caused by the illegal wildlife trade and the circumstances that followed, and return them to the wild," Jackson Kabuaya Mbeke, DRC director of GRACE Gorillas, said in a statement sent to IFLScience.

"These gorillas are extremely hardy, and they have spent a decade, and in some cases more, learning how to get food, build nests and make the right decisions in a social group. When we decided which gorillas would be the best candidates for reintroduction, it was quite clear that these four females could contribute to the survival of their species in the wild," he added.

All four were saved from poachers and illegal wildlife trade at a young age. They found refuge in the GRACE nature reserve, where they spent years in a protected forest environment of 16 hectares (39 acres). There they mastered the skills necessary to survive in the wild under the close attention of caretakers. After many years of rehabilitation, the team was sure that they began to show the necessary signs of good health, social behavior and potential for reproduction. They were transported by helicopter to the cordoned area of Mount Tshiaberimu. The team wanted the gorillas to take their time, as this place is at a higher altitude and with cooler temperatures than their previous home.

But promising signs appeared quickly. At the end of November 2024, a wild silver-backed gorilla named Mwasa began to visit four females at the fence line, causing a natural and positive interaction. Over the next few weeks, four females left the wildlife restoration site on Mount Tshiaberimu and went to the surrounding forest.

"The gorillas surprised us with how quickly they wanted to leave the aviary and go to the forest," said Benoit Ishaba, head of gorilla monitoring on Mount Tshiaberimu and ranger in Virunga National Park. "They wanted to be with the male and immediately started learning from him. After three days, they began to eat plants growing at high altitudes that they had never eaten before, such as bamboo leaves and shoots. Now they eat more species of plants than any gorillas on Mount Tshiaberimu, and they look healthy," Ishaba added. So far, everything is fine. The initial reintroduction of gorillas seems to have been successful. However, the further path remains uncertain and full of difficulties. Nevertheless, these efforts can serve as a valuable model for other projects to restore the population of eastern plain gorillas, which are urgently needed, given the decline in the number of this species.

"Eastern lowland gorillas are threatened with extinction and need conservation efforts that fully involve and support local communities. This reintroduction is a vivid example of what is possible when such efforts are thoughtfully developed and implemented," explained Dirk Byler, director of monkey conservation at Re:wild.