Gorilla mother cradles her precious babies after becoming only the third to give birth to twins in Rwanda in 50 years

  • Isaro the gorilla gave birth to the infant twins over the past month in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda 
  • The month-old infants are only the third set of twins to be recorded in Rwanda over the past five decades
  • Jean Pierre Samedi Mucyo was tracking a gorilla group called Isabukuru when he spotted the mother nursing twins
  • Mucyo, who is a researcher at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, said he had to keep his distance 

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This is the heart-warming moment a female gorilla enjoyed a cuddle with her two newborn twins.

The infant mountain gorillas are less than one-month-old and were born to mother Isaro at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda.

Not only is this tender moment something scarcely caught on camera but what makes these images even more special is they are only the third set recorded in the last 50 years. 

The twins were first spotted in January at just two days old (pictured) and were barely apart from their loving and protective mother Isaro

This is the adorable scene as a gorilla nurses her newborn twins who only arrived sometime within the past month in Rwanda

Mother Isaro gave birth to the twins at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the youngsters are only the third set recorded in 50 years

The mother Isaro gave birth to the twins in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and are only the third set recorded in 50 years

There are only approximately 900 gorillas left in the world so the twins (pictured at birth) are hugely important to the future of the species

There are only approximately 900 gorillas left in the world so the twins, pictured, are massively important to the future of the species

As mountain gorillas are critically endangered with less than 900 left in the world, the newborns have brought fresh hope to the gorilla population.

The father of the twins is not known and Isaro currently cares for them on her own. Because gorillas use their arms to walk Isaro can be seen struggling to keep up as she holds the twins constantly and will not let anyone else care or walk.

The twins are set to be named at the 12th annual Kwita Irina ceremony later this year.

Kwita Izina is an annual baby gorilla naming ceremony, the ceremony is used to raise awareness of mountain gorillas rarity and promote Rwanda.

The images were taken by Jean Pierre Samedi Mucyo, a research assistant at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.

He said: 'I was in Volcanoes National Park, where we were tracking a gorilla group called Isabukuru.

'I was doing behaviour data collection on the gorillas, it was planned that if by chance I saw the twins, which is a rare occasion, then I could take their pictures.

'I was respecting the distance, though the mother is protective of her infants when you keep your distance she feels safe.

Twins are very rare for the gorillas, the DFGFI have been monitoring them for research and we've only seen gorilla twins three times almost 50 years.'

Jean Pierre Samedi Mucyo, a research assistant at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International managed to photograph the youngsters

Jean Pierre Samedi Mucyo, a research assistant at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International managed to photograph the scenes

The twins are set to be named at the 12th annual Kwita Irina ceremony later this year which raises awareness of the gorillas' survival

The twins are set to be named at the 12th annual Kwita Irina ceremony later this year which raises awareness of the gorillas' survival

 

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