Congo’s only 2 captive baby gorillas to move to new sanctuary where schoolchildren can visit

Baby gorillas to get new sanctuary in east Congo

GOMA, Congo — Conservationists say Congolese schoolchildren will soon be able to take a closer look at baby mountain gorillas.

Virunga National Park spokeswoman Samantha Newport says the park is building a sanctuary where schoolchildren and tourists can observe the 2½-year-old orphan gorillas from hidden platforms.

Female orphans Ndeze and Ndakasi were abandoned in 2007 and are the world’s only captive baby mountain gorillas.

Because of violence in eastern Congo, the two have been living far from their natural habitat in a house in the large, traffic-choked city of Goma.

Virunga National Park is home to 200 of the world’s 720 remaining mountain gorillas.