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mouse lemur to the 400-pound (182 kg) gorilla. Orangutans, gibbons, and siamangs inhabit Asia, but the natural habitat of gorillas, chim- panzees, and bonobos is Africa. Gorillas live in the rain forests and the densely wooded areas of two African regions, equatorial west Africa and east central Africa, which are separated by the 622 miles (1,000 km) of the Congo Basin tropical forest. Large rivers probably act as geographical barriers between the western and eastern populations of gorillas. Favored gorilla habitats are forest edges, regenerating (sec- ondary) forest, montane forest, riverine forest, bamboo forest in certain seasons, and in lower numbers in primary forest at low density. In recent history, the first outsider to see the mountain gorilla was a German, Captain Oscar von Beringei. In October 1902, while traveling across eastern Africa, he observed some tall, humanlike apes on one of the volca- noes of the Virunga region of Ruanda-Urundi (now Rwanda). He was also the first European to shoot a mountain gorilla. The gorilla subspe- cies Gorilla gorilla beringei was later named after him. Not until the mid-20th century was the first scientific expedition attempted to study the gorillas in their natural habitat.

The orangutan was once found throughout southeast Asia

but today survives only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Recent estimates suggest the population could be as low as 15,000 to 20,000.

These tall, humanlike apes are what Captain Oscar von Berengei saw on top of the volcanoes of the Virunga region of Rwanda when he was traveling across eastern Africa in 1902. He was the first outsider in recent history to see the mountain gorilla.

Bonobos are known to make more facial expressions than almost any other primates, including the habit of covering their eyes and walking around blind.

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