In May 2026, in Virunga National Park in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a baby was born to a Grauer's gorilla named Lulingu. The female, released into the wild just two years earlier, has successfully coped with motherhood, and both mother and baby are doing well. This event became an important milestone for the reintroduction program run by the GRACE Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center.
Lulingu arrived at the GRACE sanctuary in 2016, when she was only a year and a half old. She was rescued from the illegal wildlife trade, and at the sanctuary she underwent rehabilitation under the supervision of "foster" gorilla mothers. In 2024, the female was released into a remote area of Virunga Park near Mount Tshiaberimu. Now that she has become a mother herself, specialists see this as direct proof of successful adaptation to life in the wild.
Grauer's gorillas, or eastern lowland gorillas, are the largest primates on the planet and are endemic to the tropical forests of the eastern DRC. Since 1994, their population has declined by approximately 77 percent and, according to 2015 estimates, stood at around 3800 individuals. In 2016, the species was reclassified as "critically endangered." Every new birth takes on particular significance against the backdrop of the ongoing loss of habitat due to armed conflicts, deforestation and mining.
GRACE staff emphasize that the sanctuary's goal is not only to rescue injured animals but also to return them to the wild in order to restore devastated forests. Lulingu's success has already prompted the team to consider releasing additional individuals. At the same time, serious risks remain: since the beginning of 2025, a significant part of Virunga Park has been under the control of armed groups, which intensifies poaching and illegal trade.
To strengthen the bond between local communities and the park, the newborn's name will be chosen together with residents of nearby villages. The vote and the naming ceremony will become part of efforts to build support for conservation. Such steps show that the long-term survival of gorillas depends not only on scientific programs but also on the involvement of the people living alongside them.
The birth of a baby to a reintroduced female is a reminder that even small conservation successes can set off a chain of recovery if it is possible to combine animal rehabilitation with consideration for the interests of local residents and constant monitoring of threats.
