The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is one of the two subspecies of the eastern gorilla. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN as of 2018. There are two populations: One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central/East Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in southwest Uganda; Volcanoes, in northwest Rwanda; and Virunga, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The other population is found in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Some primatologists speculate the Bwindi population is a separate subspecies, though no description has been finalized. The latest population count, released in 2019, revealed there to be approximately 1060 mountain gorillas in the wild.
Prior to the start of the series, a troop of Mountain Gorillas were brought to the park from Africa. They reside in the Ape-Man Jungle Enclosure.