Mastodawn

Rwamutwe, the dominant silverback of the Nkuringo group. As the group’s leader, he determines when to move, feed or rest.

Females give birth only once every four to five years, which makes each infant vital to the species’ future. Fewer than 1,100 mountain gorillas remain.

A baby mountain gorilla peers through the foliage in the Nkuringo sector of the park. Mountain gorillas share more than 98% of human DNA, and their eyes are capable of curiosity, recognition and empathy.

A mother mountain gorilla rests with her month-old infant. At birth, a mountain gorilla weighs barely 2kg and depends entirely on its mother for warmth, food and protection.

Rafiki Jr lies at ease under the watchful eye of Rwamutwe, the silverback who leads the Nkuringo group. In 2020, the original Rafiki was killed by a poacher. His loss became a symbol of how fragile progress can be, even after decades of protection and coexistence

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A dense canopy of ancient trees stretches across the steep ridges of Bwindi Impenetrable national park, one of Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforests sheltering more than 400 species of plants and nearly half of the world’s remaining mountain gorillas. Layers of mist cling to the valleys each morning, earning Bwindi its name – ‘the place of darkness’