Silverback gorillas are found in the dense tropical forests of East, Central, and Western Africa. They belong to two main species: eastern gorillas and western gorillas, each with distinct subspecies and geographic ranges. Eastern Gorillas (including Mountain Gorillas and Eastern Lowland Gorillas):
- Mountain gorillas live primarily in the Virunga volcanic mountains region, which spans three national parks: Mgahinga National Park in Uganda, Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
- Another population of mountain gorillas is found in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.
- Eastern lowland gorillas (Grauer's gorillas) are found in the forests of the DRC, including Maiko National Park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Tayna Gorilla Reserve, the Itombwe Massif, and the Usala forest
Western Gorillas (including Western Lowland Gorillas and Cross River Gorillas):
- Western lowland gorillas are more widespread and inhabit countries such as Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Republic of the Congo. They live in dense forests and swamps along the Congo River basin.
- Cross River gorillas, the smallest and most critically endangered, are found in a limited area along the Nigeria-Cameroon border
In summary, silverback gorillas can be found in protected national parks and forest reserves across these African countries, with key locations for viewing including Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Volcanoes National Park, Virunga National Park, and Kahuzi-Biega National Park
