Close encounters with mountain gorillas (Rwanda)

Gorillas inhabit the equatorial African jungle. The species has lowland and mountain gorillas.

Mountain gorillas live in Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC's volcanic range.

Mountain gorillas number 1,000 in the wild, including 604 in the Virunga Massif.

Governments, communities, and NGOs are working together to grow the population.

The Volcanoes National Park has twelve habituated gorilla families, including a handful for study.

The troops are rather mobile, but they tend to stay in one region. Park officials watch and protect them

Their hikes can take 30 minutes to four hours and reach altitudes of 2,500m to 4,000m.