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By Gavin Boyland, Series Producer of Primates

When we set out to make Primates there was no question, in my mind, that we would include mountain gorillas.

Gorillas are the largest of all primates. The extreme of the family, and of the four gorilla sub-species mountain gorillas hold a special fascination; iconic, almost mythical, and unlike orangutans and chimpanzees, they’re rarely filmed.

Mountain gorillas live in the highlands of central Africa. Roughly a thousand individuals split between the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda, and a larger proportion amongst the Virunga massif that forms the border region between Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Of this population around half are found in DRC’s Virunga National Park. This is where we’d base the filming.

Formed in 1925, Virunga National Park is Africa’s oldest national park, and arguably the most important wildlife reserve on the continent.

With active volcanoes, snow topped mountains, magical forests, lush wetlands and savannahs to rival the better-known parks of East Africa, it boasts the highest biodiversity of any reserve in Africa. And to top it all, it’s the only national park on the planet that is home to three great apes; chimpanzees, Grauer's gorillas and mountain gorillas.

It’s also located in one of the most politically volatile and unstable places on the planet.

Over relentless decades the region has suffered civil wars, genocide, refugee crises, Ebola outbreaks, political instability and widespread lawlessness. It is a highly troubled region, to say the least, but despite everything the reserve remains a beacon of hope. If there is anything that can bring stability, and security, to the region it is the reserve itself.

After 6 months of meticulous planning, I set off with a small crew to film Virunga’s precious mountain gorillas and also document the incredible work the park and its rangers do to protect the environment and its wild inhabitants.

We stayed at the edge of the forest, in a spectacular camp with views of active volcanoes that glowed at night. Each day we would trek for up to 6 hours, deep into the pristine forest, searching for the same gorilla family.

They are the most amazing animals I’ve ever had the honour to film. They are gentle yet inquisitive, immensely powerful but comically goofy. I was constantly reminded of David Attenborough’s own famous encounter “There is more meaning and mutual understanding in exchanging a glance with a gorilla than with any other animal I know.”

Due to the continued instability of the region we were accompanied at all times by Virunga park rangers. Heavily armed, highly trained, incredibly professional and deeply knowledgeable, they may look like soldiers but they’re not, their job is to protect the park. They were our guardians and our guides. The park, its wildlife, its resources, its infrastructure and even its guests are regular targets in armed struggles. The rangers are on the front line. Indeed, being a Virunga ranger is considered the most dangerous job in conservation. At the time we were filming more than 180 rangers had been killed protecting the park.

That was last year.

Then on 24th April 2020, just two days before Primates was due to begin, we had the devastating news that a group of rangers had been involved in the deadliest attack to date. They had come to the aid of a civilian vehicle, close to the park headquarters, only to be ambushed by 60 heavily armed militia rebels. Twelve rangers, a park driver and four civilians lost their lives. Many more were injured.

This happened at a time the park is facing unprecedented challenges. The corona virus outbreak has closed the park to tourists and there is a genuine fear that it could transfer to the gorillas themselves.

We hope that by featuring the work of the Virunga National Park, and their incredibly brave rangers in this series, we go some way to highlight the incredible work they do under immensely difficult and dangerous conditions.

It was a filming trip I will never forget, and a place I long to return to.

You can find out more about the work of the . (www.virunga.org)