Four critically endangered female eastern lowland gorillas rescued from the illegal wildlife trade were reintroduced to the wild in Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of the Congo last December. Continued monitoring shows the gorillas are healthy and appear to be transitioning well. 

The public charity Re:wild announced the milestone today, along with partners Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE) and Gorilla Doctors. The Gorilla Doctors is a partnership of the nonprofit MGVP, Inc., and the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

The gorillas will provide a critical genetic boost to a small, isolated population of eight gorillas living on Mt. Tshiaberimu. It was the largest eastern lowland gorillas translocation in Africa.

Read Re:wild’s press release and explore the multimedia Gorilla Doctors’ feature story, “Guardians of a New Beginning.”