Sad news have reached a few days ago that ‘Katungi’, one of the twin pair born in late 2008, has apparently died. The little adolescent mountain gorilla was a member of the Nkuringo group, visited last year by this correspondent. It is a very rare occurrence that a female mountain gorilla gives birth to twins, and when discovered it was cause for both celebrations as well as scientific interest amongst researchers working in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.

It is understood that vets working with the Uganda Wildlife Authority are trying to establish the cause of the gorilla youngster’s death to learn more about health issues surrounding the gorillas and be able to more effectively provide medical assistance when and where required.

Visit www.friendagorilla.org for regular updates by UWA on what is going on amongst their ‘gorilla community’, or better befriend one of them for the nominal fee of just 1 US Dollar.