In a landmark conservation effort, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has reintroduced four critically endangered female eastern gorillas into the wild within Virunga National Park—the largest translocation and population reinforcement of eastern gorillas ever conducted in Africa.

This operation highlights the DRC's renewed commitment to protecting its wildlife and biodiversity in the eastern region, which remains under threat from poaching and ongoing insecurity.

Despite repeated attacks from M23 rebels and ecological pressures, initiatives like this reintroduction demonstrate the determination of local authorities and partners to preserve the region's unique natural heritage.

The four Grauer's gorillas, also known as eastern lowland gorillas, rescued from illegal wildlife trade, have now been released into the wild in Virunga National Park.

These gorillas are expected to provide a vital genetic boost to a small, isolated population of just eight individuals living on Mount Tshiaberimu, located in North Kivu province in eastern DRC.

A milestone

With this release, the population on Mount Tshiaberimu increases to twelve individuals. To support their reintroduction, a special facility was constructed in this remote area of the 7,800 km² park.

This marks the first time gorillas from the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE) in Kasugho, eastern DRC, have been reintroduced into the wild. Conservationists hail the move as a milestone.

"After many years of preparation and close collaboration between Virunga Park, local communities, and scientific experts, this milestone marks a major step forward in strengthening the eastern gorilla population. We are thrilled to see the gorillas adapting successfully to their natural habitat,’’ Emmanuel de Merode, Director of Virunga National Park, told TRT Afrika.

The gorillas have quickly adapted to their new environment, eating and sleeping normally, and their health remained stable throughout the transfer process.

Mountain gorilla populations in the DRC have seen significant growth in recent years due to sustained conservation efforts. As of 2024, more than 1,000 mountain gorillas were estimated to live in the greater Virunga region, spanning the DRC, Rwanda, and Uganda.

Trauma of illegal trade

Virunga National Park alone is home to around one-third of this population—approximately 350 individuals.

This increase is largely credited to effective conservation strategies, including family group monitoring, regular anti-poaching patrols, and community awareness programs, despite ongoing challenges such as insecurity, poaching, and habitat loss that continue to threaten long-term conservation.

This translocation is the result of more than five years of collaboration between Virunga National Park and local communities. The gorillas were brought to the GRACE sanctuary between 2010 and 2016.

At GRACE, they lived in a 16-hectare semi-wild environment, where they learned to forage, socialize, climb, and play—mimicking life in the wild.

“We’ve cared for these gorillas since they were babies. Our ultimate goal has always been to help them recover from the trauma of the illegal wildlife trade and prepare them to return to the wild. These gorillas are incredibly resilient,’’ Jackson Kabuyaya Mbeke, Director of GRACE Gorillas in DRC, told TRT Afrika.

‘‘Some have spent more than a decade learning to forage, build nests, and make decisions within a social group. They are now ready to contribute to the survival of their species in the wild,’’ he added.