( CNN ) -- More than 14 months after they fled fighting between rebel and government forces , park rangers who monitor mountain gorillas in war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo have returned to the reserve . Young gorillas play in Congo 's Virunga National Park in an undated photograph . It is a welcome sight at Virunga National Park , where around 200 of the world 's 700 mountain gorillas live . Samantha Newport , communications director for the refuge , told CNN on Friday that 70 rangers have returned to the gorilla refuge . They left when the sector was taken over by Laurent Nkunda 's Tutsi armed force , which is fighting Congolese soldiers and their militia allies . About 50 other rangers who fled after rebels seized the park headquarters last month also have come back , Newport said , and about 150 other rangers will be returning after being away for a month or two . Around 400 other rangers never left the nearly 8,000-square kilometer park , in which the gorilla reserve encompasses 250 square kilometers , Newport said . The gorilla section of the park lies in a strategically important area near the borders of Rwanda and Uganda . Newport said Nkunda 's rebels still control much of the park and the preserve , but efforts have been made by combatants to protect the gorilla refuge and not interfere with the park rangers ' duties . In a news release , Virunga Park Director Emmanuel de Merode said , `` It is a huge step that all sides have agreed that the protection of Virunga as a World Heritage Site and its mountain gorillas is of sufficient priority to transcend political differences . '' He added , `` Rangers are neutral in this conflict , and it is right that they should be allowed to do their job . '' The rangers will be conducting a census of the gorillas . There were 72 habituated and around 120 non-habituated gorillas in the reserve in August 2007 , when the last census was conducted . That number is expected to change because of births and deaths . Habituated describes those gorillas who are accustomed to contact with humans , and non-habituated refers to those who are not used to human presence , Newport explained . Virunga National Park is a UNESCO ( United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization ) World Heritage Site and Africa 's oldest national park . It was formerly known as Albert National Park .
Fighting forced rangers to flee gorilla reserve in Democratic Republic of Congo . Some of the rangers fled some 14 months ago . Score: 6