Gorilla Species and Habitats

Mountain gorillas live in misty, cloud-covered forests high in the mountains of Central Africa (Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo). They live at altitudes of 8,000 to 13,000 feet where it is cold and damp. They have thicker, longer fur than lowland gorillas to keep warm in the chilly mountain air. There are only about 1,000 mountain gorillas left in the wild, making them one of the most endangered great apes. They were saved from extinction largely by the work of Dian Fossey.