Female mountain gorilla Bilali and her baby, Kakule, in Congo's Virunga National Park, in a photo dated Jan. 14. (Associated Press)
"Park is 'encouraged' by gorilla births
VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK, Congo - The first census of endangered mountain gorillas carried out by government authorities since rebels seized the area shows that 10 babies have been born in the last 16 months, wildlife officials said yesterday.
The fragile habitat in the Central African highlands, which is home to some of the world's last remaining mountain gorillas, was overrun in 2007 by rebels and soldiers and transformed into a war zone. A deal between the insurgents and President Joseph Kabila's administration late last year paved the way for staff who had fled the fighting to return to Virunga National Park.
In an eight-week census by the Congolese Wildlife Authority that ended last week, rangers found that 10 gorillas had been born since August 2007. It found the park's population had increased from 72 to 81, including the infants and two females that had not been identified previously. However, three gorillas counted in the park's 2007 census are now listed as missing, officials said....
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