Silverback gorillas live in tropical and subtropical forests in Central and East Africa, primarily within protected national parks and forest reserves. They are the adult male leaders of gorilla groups and are found among different subspecies of gorillas:

• Mountain gorillas , which are a type of silverback gorilla, inhabit high-altitude montane cloud forests in the Virunga Mountains and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. These areas span parts of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

• Eastern lowland gorillas (another subspecies with silverbacks) live in the tropical forests of the eastern DRC near the border with Rwanda

• Western lowland gorillas , which also include silverbacks, are found in dense forests and swampy areas across several Central African countries including Gabon, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, and the DRC

Key protected areas to see silverback gorillas in the wild include:

• Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda
• Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda
• Virunga National Park and Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the DRC

These gorillas live in forested habitats ranging from lowland tropical forests to high mountain forests, depending on the subspecies. Their habitat is increasingly fragmented and threatened by human activities, making conservation efforts critical