RWANDA TRAVEL GUIDE 2021
KING
OF THE
MOUNTAINS Since their initial discovery in 1902, the mountain gorilla subspecies has become an icon of the Rwandan wildlife, and the chance to glimpse one of these majestic creatures in their natural habitat represents a must-see for any potential visitor. Sharing ninety-eight per cent of human DNA, the mountain gorilla boasts thicker, more substantial fur than its great-ape cousins, a trait that helps them to thrive in the elevated region they call home: the mountainous regions of the Virungas, situated within Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park.
VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARKMOUNTAIN GORILLA
20 | SBM - RWANDA
In recent decades, the combination of war, poaching, the destruction of habitats, and disease contributed to the decline of Gorilla populations, falling to an all-time-low of just 242 individual gorillas recorded in the Virunga Massif in the 1980s. However, following extensive collaboration between governments, local communities, and NGOs, mountain gorillas within Rwanda have staged a remarkable recovery. As of 2016, the latest count revealed that there are now approximately 1,000 mountain gorillas in the wild, with 604 of these living in the Virunga Massif.
