Poached to near extinction, the gorillas that live in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park live a reclusive life. There are just 880 mountain gorillas left in the world, which is what makes Isaro's story so remarkable.
Isaro is a 16-year-old mountain gorilla and a proud mother of baby gorillas, varying in age. Trackers with Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, a group that is dedicated to monitoring the gorillas, were concerned when Isaro disappeared deep into the forest.
When they finally caught up with her, they saw, what researchers say, is an extremely rare sight. She was nursing twins.
The shy group of gorillas won't often allow researchers the chance to take glimpses into their lives, but this proud gorilla mama couldn't help but show off her precious twins to the world.
Check out these beautiful photographs below, and let us know what you think about this gorilla mom's rare set of twins in the comments!
[H/T: The Dodo]
Look closely and you'll see this proud mama is carrying not one, but two little babies in her arms.
Isaro is a 16-year-old mountain gorilla. She lives in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park with 480 other reclusive gorillas.
It may seem that 480 is a large number, however, there are only 880 mountain gorillas left on the planet! The giant primates have almost been poached to extinction, but there is hope.
Mountain gorillas are extremely protective of their newborns because, sometimes, they do not survive past the age of 1. Isaro has experience in child rearing, however. She already has two babies of her own that are 3 and 6 years old.
Mountain gorillas typically don't accept help from other members of their group when their babies are so young, but here you can see that Isaro allows big brother, Icyororo, to take a closer look at his younger siblings.
From what researches can tell from their quick glimpses into Isaro's life, she is doing a fantastic job with the new babies. The twins are comparable sizes, meaning she's nurturing the little ones equally.
The babies have also started to develop their trademark mountain gorilla coats. The tops of their heads are beginning to fill with dense crowns of curly hair.
The research team says that the twins are one of three sets that have survived among the entire mountain gorilla population. Isaro's situation is amazing and unique.
"The birth of the twins is a gift in many ways," said Veronica Vecellio, manager of the program at the Fossey Fund. "First for the pure beauty of nature, but also to remind us how vulnerable and precious gorillas are."
Isaro is fiercely dedicated to her babies. If her prior success at raising her young is any indication of the mother she'll be to her twins, they have a solid chance at survival.
If you'd like to learn more about the amazing research done by Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, check out their Facebook page.
Let us know what you think about this amazing gorilla mama's story, and don't forget to SHARE this rare sighting with your friends and family!
