Despite being the world’s most endangered ape, mountain gorillas are also the only great ape increasing in population, and habitat expansion is critical to sustaining population growth.

The world’s 1,000 mountain gorillas are found only in two regions—the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, and Africa’s oldest park, Volcanoes National Park. Volcanoes National Park is situated in the Virunga Massif in the north of Rwanda, bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

African Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with the Government of Rwanda and Rwanda Development Board, was recently able to purchase land to expand The Volcanoes National Park for the first time in 30 years. A donation from the Gordon and Patricia Gray Animal Welfare Foundation helped provide the funding needed to support this critical expansion.