A collection of colour photographs which depict the last few hundred members of a nearly extinct species - the famed mountain gorillas of the Virunga volcanoes. These inhabitants of the forested mountain range bordering Rwanda, Uganda and Zaire were brought to the attention of the world through last-ditch efforts to preserve the survivors of their dwindling species. The introductory essay by George B.Schaller, Director for Science of Wildlife Conservation International at the New York Zoological Society and author of nine books including "The Serengeti Lion", summarizes the last two decades in the existence of these gorillas, explains how the animals fend off extinction and offers a potent warning of the effects of tampering with a fragile ecosystem.