Volcanoes National Park lies in northwestern Rwanda and borders Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda. It is home to five of the eight volcanoes of the Virunga Mountains (Karisimbi, Bisoke, Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo), which are covered in rainforest and bamboo, and a haven for the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei), one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla, the largest living primate. The vegetation is very dense at the bottom of the mountains, becoming more sparse at higher elevations, and the forests where the mountain gorilla lives are often cloudy, misty and cold. Despite their recent population growth (the overall population is now believed to be at least 880 individuals), the mountain gorilla remains threatened. As of 2008, they were listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and are dependent on conservation efforts to survive.
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