Cuddliest twins in the jungle
TWIN babies might be hard work for their exhausted mothers — but all that effort is worth it when it’s time for a cuddle.
These delightful pictures show mountain gorilla Kabatwa, the proud mother, with five monthold Isango (which means Appointment) and Isangano (Crossroad).
With fewer than 900 mountain gorillas left in the wild, the birth of twins is particularly exciting for conservationists as well as for their mother. Mountain gorillas have babies only every four or five years and twins are extremely rare. These boys are only the fifth set recorded in Rwanda in 40 years.
The family belong to a group of nine gorillas living in the Parc National des Volcans (Volcanoes Park). Gorillas are born helpless, with their eyes tightly shut. For the first three to four months, they cling to their mother’s chest 24 hours a day.
After four months, youngsters are able to sit up and to stand with a helping hand. Soon afterwards they begin to crawl and start to explore the forest floor — and the other members of the group. When these pictures were taken, the twins were just starting to become more independent. Females become mature at six but boys take four years longer. The twins will weigh about 35st by then, so cuddles from mum will be a thing of the past.
Instead, these gentle giants will spend their time engaged in a gorilla’s favourite activity — chomping down 75lb a day of their favourite jungle snacks, tender bamboo shoots and bark.