Goma Orphan Update

We continue to help take care of the three orphaned gorillas in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They include the two infant mountain gorillas, Ndeze and Ndakasi, whose mothers were shot and killed one year ago, and Mapendo, a juvenile Grauer's gorilla confiscated from poachers six months ago. Here's a brief update about each one.

We continue to help take care of the three orphaned gorillas in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They include the two infant mountain gorillas, Ndeze and Ndakasi, whose mothers were shot and killed one year ago, and Mapendo, a juvenile Grauer's gorilla confiscated from poachers six months ago. Here's a brief update about each one.

Ndeze climbs a tree and rope ladder.

NDEZE
Age: approximately 1 year, 5 months
Weight: 11.9 kg
Milk intake per day, divided in 4-5 bottle feedings: 1.3 liters
Favorite forest plant foods: Rimex, Urera
Favorite toys: anything and everything
Favorite games: climbing, running and tumbling

Ndakasi

NDAKASI
Age: approximately 1 year, 3 months
Weight: 10.1 kg
Milk intake per day, divided in 4-5 bottle feedings: 1.1 liters
Favorite forest plant foods: Rimex, Urera
Favorite toys: plastic chair and sticks
Favorite games: climbing, tumbling on tripod

Mapendo

MAPENDO
Age: approximately 3 years, 6 months
Weight: 17 kg
Milk intake: has been off milk for several weeks and is eating only solid foods
Favorite forest plant foods: Rimex, Ficus
Favorite toys: sticks and ball
Favorite game: climbing

Ndeze (left) playing with Ndkasi (right) on their climbing structure
in the backyard of the house where they live in Goma.

The two mountain gorilla orphans, Ndeze and Ndakasi, are thriving. They live together with their human caretakers in a small house located near the DRC/Rwanda border. The infants have a fairly big yard with climbing structures and toys. Mapendo lives a short distance away, also in Goma, in an enclosure built especially for her, right next to the offices of DFGFI (Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund International). She, too, has a grassy yard, climbing structure and small house, where she sleeps at night with her caretaker.

MGVP's Dr. Eddy Kambale coordinates regular trips to the Virunga forest to collect natural foods — all green plants — for the Goma orphans.

Ndeze eats Rimex, a plant collected from the Virunga forest.

Mapendo is more relaxed and playful than when she first arrived, but we're all very aware that she should be living with other gorillas. We have not recommended that the three orphans live together, mostly because the mountain gorilla infants are much younger and more susceptible to introduced infections. But Mapendo, a Grauer's gorilla, is also a different subspecies.

Ndakasi eats Urera, a plant collected from the Virunga forest.

The future of the orphans remains uncertain. When will they return to their natural habitat? We don't know. Maybe never. Minimally, it will be quite some time because their home is unsafe. All 11 orphans, the three Goma orphans plus eight others that live in Kinigi, Rwanda, are from DRC. Until this region is secure, we cannot even consider releasing them back to their homes. There are other complications as well.

Ndakasi eating Urera and playing.

First, their families are gone. Second, all were young when they were brought into captivity, requiring near constant human care and contact. As a result, they are very habituated to people, a situation that is unavoidable when hand-raising orphaned gorillas.

Finally, we're concerned about disease transmission and introduction of diseases to free-ranging gorillas. The eight Kinigi orphans have grown up in a mixed subspecies group that includes two mountain gorillas and five Grauer's gorillas. This housing strategy was necessary to offer a proper social environment for each individual gorilla, but we don't know for certain that it's a harmless mix.

Ndeze likes to climb in the mango tree, though this plant is
not a species found in the Virungas.

Unfortunately, Goma is dry and dusty and at a much lower altitude than the Virungas. We continue to work with the various government and nongovernmental partners on a better long-term home for the orphans in DRC, as well as those in Rwanda. We hope the scientific committee that was originally created to make recommendations about their future will convene again soon. Meanwhile, we are pleased with the overall progress and health status of the Goma orphans.

[Photos courtesy of Dr. Eddy Kambale, MGVP Field Veterinarian, DR Congo]

Comments

[Lynn Z]

Thank you for this update--they are so beautiful. God bless them.

[Shelly Campbell]

I want to know what are the laws there to protect these creatures, do they have strict laws and are they enforced, I hope they are very strict like the laws here in the US now for cruelty to animals in most states is a misdermeaner...wow...that does not make someone stop and think before hurting an animal but I guarantee you there would be a lot more people that would think twice before hurting an animal if the punishment were a felony....or perhaps more like ( what I would like to see ) an Eye for an Eye type of law which I know will never happen but a Felony and a HUGE Fine and having to take classes on animal cruelty!!!! I know over there it is so much harder to enforce the law but WE NEED TO SPEAK FOR OUR FRIENDS AS THEY CANNOT SPEAK FOR ONE ANOTHER!!!!!!!

[Julie]

What beautiful little sweeties!
Thank you for such wonderful pictures. I know all of you do everything possible to help the orphans... THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT!

[patricia menier]

I can't bealive that are sill people killing this beautiful creature, is horrible!!!
Thank you for taking care of this babies.