Following the official announcement from the Greater Virunga Transboundary Initiative,  we are very sad to have lost four mountain gorillas, three adult females and one male infant, at Mgahinga National Park, including a pregnant female, who were members of the Hirwa Gorilla Group of 17 gorillas that came in from Rwanda to Uganda and range in the Virungas. They were struck by lighting during a very heavy storm on Monday 3rd February.

Though it is a natural tragedy, that could not have been avoided, it is a significant loss in a total world population of only 1063 endangered mountain gorillas.

In 2015, a similar fate happened to Rukina, the lead silverback of Kyaguriro research group in Bwindi when the tree he slept under was struck by lightning.