In all the turmoil that’s occurred in Congo (and yes, I know that’s a huge understatement) over the past few years, it’s natural that we might forget some of those affected by the fighting - endangered mountain gorillas.

About a year ago, rebels took over the forests in which approximately 190 of the world’s remaining 700 mountain gorillas, forcing park rangers that usually watched over the animals to flee. The Associated Press (via MSNBC) reports that the gorillas were only “overseen by renegade rangers who stayed behind” when the rebels came. This, of course, was not ideal for the animals. But now, an agreement has been made it possible for rangers to start watching over the mountain gorillas once again.

Now, a breakthrough deal between the insurgents and President Joseph Kabila’s administration has paved the way for staff who fled fighting and the rebel occupation to return to the gorilla sector of Virunga National Park for the first time in 15 months.

During the fighting, rockets had been launched into and around the gorillas’ habitats, and many of the rangers that fled were worried that the gorillas were in danger. But rangers that stayed tell a different story. They state that rangers went out every day to check on the gorillas, and none had died. But hopefully, an official presence will keep trouble at bay.

It goes without saying that us reporting that rangers are allowed back to check on gorillas near a war zone is the thinnest of silver linings. However, you can takepart and visit Conservation International’s forest page to learn how they’re working to keep other forests around the world safe.