At sunrise, the volcanic peaks of Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo rise through the mist, marking the meeting point of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These ancient volcanoes form the Virunga Massif, the high-altitude home of the endangered mountain gorilla.
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’
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
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.
earthling
