There are two distinct species of gorilla, separated geographically by the inner Congo Basin in Central Africa, to the south of the River Congo. Each species is divided in to two separate sub species. Eastern gorillas are divided in to the Eastern lowland gorilla and Mountain gorilla, and Western gorillas are divided into Western lowland gorillas and Cross River gorillas. All four sub-species are endangered, three of them critically so.

Gorillas, like humans, are great apes large, tailless primates that can use their hands to gather food and make nests. In fact, gorillas are very like us, 98% genetically like us to be exact. They live in family groups of between eight and 11 individuals, consisting of a dominant silverback male, three or four adult females and their offspring. The adults spend most of their day eating and resting, while the youngsters enjoy to climb and play. Their diet consists of mainly fruit, shoots and leaves and in the rainforest environment in which they live they are never too far away from their next meal.