Congo's war-baby gorillas bring hope for endangered species

December 1, 2008 A gorilla looks on while relaxing in a clearing on the slopes of Mount Mikeno in the Virunga National Park

A baby mountain gorilla plays near another one and a female adult in a clearing on the slopes of Mount Mikeno in the Virunga National Park on November 28, 2008. Park director Emmanuel de Merode described the discovery of five new-borns at the outset of a month-long census as "quite phenomenal", given that the endangered gorillas' habitat has long been a war zone.

High above the war-battered plain, a giant silverback gorilla ruminatively strips a plant of its leaves with green tombstone teeth. Five females nearby suckle their babies. The world can celebrate a small miracle in eastern Congo.

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