Rare mountain gorilla gives birth to her first baby - and is a natural
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An endangered mountain gorilla has become a first-time mother at the age of 12.
Ndala was spotted with her newborn son on October 6 at the Virunga National Park in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The sighting marked the second birth recorded in the Humba family in 2026 and the 16th amongst gorillas monitored in the Mikeno sector since January.
Striking photographs show Ndala cradling the infant in her arms as he lies fast asleep on her chest.
In another picture, Ndala nonchalantly chews on a stalk of bamboo as she holds the newborn close to her.
The Humba group now contains a total of 19 individuals, including one silverback, a blackback, five adult females, three subadults and nine juveniles and infants.
Mountain gorillas are classed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with an estimated 1,075 remaining in the wild.
Field teams say they will continue to monitor Ndala and her infant closely during the newborn's first weeks.
A striking photograph shows Ndala cradling the infant in her arms as he lays fast asleep on her chest
In another picture, Ndala chews on a stalk of bamboo as she nonchalantly holds him close to her
Mountain gorillas are classed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with an estimated 1,075 remaining in the wild
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