Orphaned Gorilla Rescued From Traffickers Gives Birth in the Wild After Rewilding
Lulingu, an eastern lowland gorilla rescued from the wildlife trade as an 18-month-old orphan, has given birth in Congo’s Virunga National Park, one of the first rewilded gorillas of her kind to become a mother in the wild.
Lulingu, one of the first eastern lowland gorillas ever returned to the wild, gave birth on May 21 in Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, conservation group Re:wild announced in September. The infant was fathered by Mwasa, a wild silverback on Mount Tshiaberimu.
She was taken from her family and sold as a baby
Rescuers recovered Lulingu at just 18 months old after she was taken from her family and sold into the illegal wildlife trade. She was the youngest orphan ever brought to GRACE, the only sanctuary in the world for rescued eastern lowland gorillas, where a female named Pinga became her surrogate mother.
At the end of 2024, Lulingu and three other females were moved from GRACE to Mount Tshiaberimu after a rewilding process of more than five years, led by GRACE, Virunga National Park and local communities with support from Gorilla Doctors and Re:wild. All four joined Mwasa’s family group, and none has needed veterinary treatment since.
“This is a milestone for the gorillas. They’ve adjusted to living in the wild extremely well so far, but raising an infant in the wild can be a challenge even for experienced mothers.” — Katie Fawcett, Executive and Science Director, GRACE Gorillas
The birth gives a small, isolated population a genetic boost
The project’s main goal is to strengthen the small, isolated gorilla population on Tshiaberimu. Monitors track the group daily and use human pregnancy tests on urine collected from leaves to check for pregnancies. At least one of the other three females may also be pregnant, according to Good News Network.
“We have seen her nursing, cradling, and playing with the baby,” said Benoit Ishaba, head of gorilla monitoring on Mount Tshiaberimu. Eastern lowland gorillas are critically endangered. The case echoes the return of Bili, a gorilla seized by Nigerian customs and repatriated to Congo, another animal rescued from the wildlife trade.
Like what you're reading?
Related stories
India Begins Releasing Captive-Bred Great Indian Bustards After a Decade of Conservation Breeding
Two captive-bred Great Indian Bustards entered a soft-release enclosure at Rajasthan's Desert National Park this weekend, the first step in returning birds from a 97-strong captive flock to a wild population of roughly 130.
Northern Bald Ibises, Gone From Europe for Centuries, Follow Ultralight Aircraft to Rebuild a Migration Route
Fifteen young northern bald ibises were guided to Spain behind ultralight aircraft flown by their human foster parents, part of a project to re-establish a migratory population of a species extinct in Europe since the 17th century.
Gorilla Bili, Rescued From Traffickers in Nigeria as a Baby, Is Flown Home to Congo
Nigeria Customs officers rescued a baby female gorilla named Bili from wildlife traffickers in 2023. After three years of rehabilitation, a DNA test traced her to Congo and she was airlifted there in September.
