The gorilla they rescued as a baby just had one in the wild.
Rescued at 18 months. Rewilded eight years later. Now Lulingu is raising a baby of her own in the forest.
A gorilla rescued from the illegal wildlife trade as a baby, rehabilitated for years and returned to the wild has now become a mother there.
WHAT HAPPENED
Lulingu was rescued in 2016 at about 18 months old after being taken from her family for the illegal wildlife trade. She recovered at GRACE, where caregivers and a surrogate gorilla family helped prepare her for life in the forest.
On December 3, 2024, Lulingu and three other GRACE gorillas left the rewilding facility on Mt. Tshiaberimu in Virunga National Park and joined wild silverback Mwasa's group. On May 21, 2026, she gave birth to his baby. GRACE reported in September that mother and infant were healthy, with monitoring continuing in this small, isolated population.
WHY THIS IS HOPESLOP
Because this is conservation completing a full circle: rescue, rehabilitation, rewilding and a new generation born in the forest. The outcome is real, rare and bigger than one animal.
ORIGINAL SOURCEGRACE GorillasRead the original report
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