Sadly, poaching and illegal trade have resulted in the confiscation of mountain and Grauer's gorillas in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

MGVP, Inc. in cooperation with the Rwandan Tourism and National Parks Office (ORTPN), the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) in the DRC, and Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (DFGFI) manages interim quarantine facilities in Kinigi, Rwanda, Goma, DRC, and Rumangabo, DRC for confiscated orphaned gorillas.

At present, the MGVP is providing health care for four mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) and nine Grauer’s gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri).  All were orphaned in the wild as a result of poaching activity.  Most recently, two of the infant mountain gorilla orphans were rescued from the DRC side of the Virunga Massif when their mothers were shot, These two newest orphans were just moved to ICCN’s new Senkwekwe facility in Rumangabo, DRC.

As a small group, the orphans will help socialize each other, giving them a chance to lead normal gorilla lives in the future.  The partner organizations are exploring all options for their long term care and eventual reintroduction to the wild: the mountain gorilla back to the Virunga Massif, and the Grauer’s gorillas back to the forests of DRC.