0:00:07 > 0:00:10In the heart of Africa,
0:00:10 > 0:00:15straddling the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and Congo,
0:00:15 > 0:00:18lies a remarkable mountain kingdom.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27It's home to the last 700 mountain gorillas in the world.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39With so few left, they're under constant surveillance
0:00:39 > 0:00:42from a dedicated band of humans.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46A species in intensive care.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Our cameras have been given privileged access
0:00:53 > 0:00:55to these precious animals
0:00:55 > 0:00:59by the people that record every detail of their lives.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06In this programme, we'll be following
0:01:06 > 0:01:10some of the youngest and most vulnerable gorillas.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15We witness the plight of two orphans caught in a brutal civil war.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20A young female on the cusp of adulthood,
0:01:20 > 0:01:24battling with feelings she's unable to control.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28(DRUMMING)
0:01:28 > 0:01:29And a new gorilla king,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33struggling to earn the respect of the group
0:01:33 > 0:01:35he fought so hard to win.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43In these uncertain times, is the mountain gorilla's future
0:01:43 > 0:01:46safe in our hands?
0:02:00 > 0:02:04On the volcanic slopes of the mountains of Rwanda
0:02:04 > 0:02:06there has been momentous change.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25Titus, the 35-year-old gorilla king, is dead.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34At his peak, he ruled over 25 gorillas
0:02:34 > 0:02:38and became the most successful silverback in recorded history.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41Now his reign is over.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48The young orphan he protected has also lost his struggle for life.
0:03:01 > 0:03:06Titus was hounded to the point of exhaustion by a younger silverback,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08his son, Rano.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20The old ruler simply couldn't fight any more, slowly fading away,
0:03:20 > 0:03:25until finally one morning he simply didn't wake up,
0:03:25 > 0:03:28worn out by life
0:03:28 > 0:03:29and his own son.
0:03:40 > 0:03:46For Rwandan gorilla researcher Felix Ndagijimana, it's the end of an era.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52Titus was one of my favourite gorillas, and I guess,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56well, he was everybody's favourite, not only me.
0:04:00 > 0:04:05Now that Titus has gone, and Rano has taken over the group he's, um,
0:04:05 > 0:04:08I would say that he's keeping the group together,
0:04:08 > 0:04:10and that's the most important,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13but it's really hard for the individuals in the group
0:04:13 > 0:04:16to accept him as the leader, especially Tuck,
0:04:16 > 0:04:22the only female of the group, who had a very close relationship with Titus.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26You can see that the group is not as close as it used to be
0:04:26 > 0:04:28when Titus was still alive.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30THUNDER RUMBLES
0:04:30 > 0:04:35At just 17 years old, Rano is the same age as his father was
0:04:35 > 0:04:38when he became leader of this group.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57But Rano is discovering that to be a great silverback,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01it's not enough just to be the son of a once great king.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Already, things aren't looking good.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22The other gorillas seem reluctant to accept him as their new leader.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Tuck, the only female in the group, is on the verge of leaving.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39She only stays because of her young son.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Before Titus's death, he was a confident four-year-old.
0:05:46 > 0:05:51Now he's regressed, becoming more reliant on his mother.
0:06:01 > 0:06:07Tuck is torn between her duty as a parent and her contempt for Rano.
0:06:14 > 0:06:16This is a group in turmoil,
0:06:16 > 0:06:20and its leader needs to prove himself.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Can Rano win their confidence and keep the group together?
0:06:33 > 0:06:37Mountain gorillas are a species in intensive care.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Around 700 remain in the wild,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45and everything humanly possible is done to keep them safe.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52The mountain gorilla vets are a vital part of this effort.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57They're dedicated to monitoring the gorillas' health,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00and can be called upon at a moment's notice.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Magda Braum is one of those vets.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12She has worked with apes for over ten years.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Today, she's travelling from her base in Rwanda
0:07:19 > 0:07:23and crossing the border into Congo, to the town of Goma.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Congo is home to around 200 mountain gorillas,
0:07:33 > 0:07:36about a third of the total population.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42A huge country, it was the location of the Great War of Africa,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45a conflict that began in 1998
0:07:45 > 0:07:50and involved eight nations and around 25 armed groups.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55Today the war's over, but eastern Congo,
0:07:55 > 0:08:00where the mountain gorillas live, is still home to many armed rebels.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Today, I'm going to Congo to check
0:08:02 > 0:08:05on Ndeze and Ndakazi, our two mountain gorilla orphans.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09They've been with us in the temporary facility in Goma,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13and Goma is not the right climate, it's a very crowded place,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17we have lots and lots of health problems because of that.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20And we were trying for a long time to find them a better area,
0:08:20 > 0:08:23and finally there is the sanctuary in Rumangabo.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26It's actually exactly the place where they come from.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33We had the call from our vets in Goma that they had a bit of a cough,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36which is nothing unusual in this time of year.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38So, most likely, it's nothing serious,
0:08:38 > 0:08:42but, as I said, we have to be sure that they are fit for the move.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46The hope is that the two orphaned gorillas
0:08:46 > 0:08:48will pass Magda's health check
0:08:48 > 0:08:53and be moved from the hot, dusty town to their new home in the forest.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12In the neighbouring country of Uganda,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14in a small house in the middle of the forest,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18lives gorilla scientist Martha Robbins.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28She has studied mountain gorillas for 20 years,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30the past 12 here in Uganda,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33where around 300 mountain gorillas are found.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Each day, she ventures out into the forest
0:09:41 > 0:09:44to observe the gorillas first-hand.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53The habitat here is very good for gorillas.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56What makes it so difficult for us to walk around
0:09:56 > 0:09:58is actually great for the gorillas,
0:09:58 > 0:10:03because there's herbaceous vegetation everywhere for the gorillas to eat.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06We have much more fruit trees here, the gorillas definitely like fruit,
0:10:06 > 0:10:10and so that's sort of an added resource for the gorillas.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Thanks to the work of people like Martha,
0:10:23 > 0:10:28we now know that Ugandan gorillas eat more fruit than the gorillas in Rwanda,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31that they spend more time in the trees,
0:10:31 > 0:10:34and that they have larger home ranges.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Martha's dedication to studying these animals
0:10:41 > 0:10:45has allowed her to gain the trust of one gorilla in particular,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48the successful silverback leader Rukina.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52He leads a group of 14 that includes six females.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04CREAKING AND CRASHING
0:11:08 > 0:11:11With so many females in his group,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14silverback Rukina's life couldn't be more different
0:11:14 > 0:11:16to that of Rano back in Rwanda.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24The dominant silverback claims exclusive rights to the females
0:11:24 > 0:11:28and, given the chance, will mate every few hours.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37The junior blackbacks can only look on.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49But for one little gorilla,
0:11:49 > 0:11:52the temptation to get involved is just too great.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56Ten-month-old Ponoka is the youngest in the group,
0:11:56 > 0:12:01and although Rukina is probably his father, he could be pushing his luck.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17One in three gorillas die before three years of age.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20The first year is the riskiest.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28Martha can't wait for little Ponoka to reach that milestone.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Although Ponoka is the youngest in this group,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36he's not the newest arrival.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41That honour goes to a young female called Twijiki.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46Females often move between groups to avoid mating with their fathers,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50and now, in Rukina's group, the innocent-looking Twijiki
0:12:50 > 0:12:52is about to cause chaos.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55SHRIEKING AND GROWLING
0:13:11 > 0:13:15In Rwanda, gorilla researcher Felix is on his way to see
0:13:15 > 0:13:18the new silverback leader, Rano.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37For Felix, this is a chance to reacquaint himself
0:13:37 > 0:13:39with a gorilla he knew many years ago,
0:13:39 > 0:13:44and find out how the new leader and the old female, Tuck, are getting on.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50There's little doubt that silverback Rano would love
0:13:50 > 0:13:54to claim his hard-earned right to the female in his group.
0:13:58 > 0:14:03But at 37 years old, Tuck is most definitely not interested in sex.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Nearly all females stop by their mid to late 30s.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Unfortunately, Rano doesn't know this...
0:14:23 > 0:14:27..and keeps trying to impress her with his displays of strength.
0:14:29 > 0:14:34But all this seems to do is make Tuck more determined to ignore him.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56As Rano continues to hound Tuck, her sons come to her defence.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Now the smallest gorilla in the group decides
0:15:02 > 0:15:06to show the mighty silverback Rano who's in charge.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40This is hardly the great leader in control.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43Pushed around by the youngest male in the group,
0:15:43 > 0:15:48and spurned by Tuck, the only female, things couldn't get much worse.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Just 40 kilometres away in the forests of Uganda,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10things are stirring for the eight-year-old female, Twijiki.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21She arrived in the group just two months ago,
0:16:21 > 0:16:23and Martha's log shows that, up until now,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26she's been keeping a low profile.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31But today she only has eyes for Rukina, her silverback leader.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38The way she's staring at him like that, that's classic solicitation.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Very subtle, as gorillas are.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43She wants to mate. I'm not sure he does.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Advancing on him, she tightens her lips
0:16:47 > 0:16:50and stares straight into his eyes,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53sure signs that she wants to mate.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14But Rukina's group contains plenty of females for him to choose from,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16and he doesn't appear especially interested.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Finally, Rukina relents.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Yep, yep, yep, there you go.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36Twijiki's entered a period called oestrus,
0:17:36 > 0:17:40a monthly occurrence for gorillas, and the only time they can get pregnant.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45And usually they'll mate about once an hour.
0:17:46 > 0:17:47There we go.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05For the next few days, Twijiki's sole aim will be to mate.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14They are very active in soliciting the males.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18So, yeah, it is almost like they're...
0:18:18 > 0:18:20It's a different gorilla from one day to the next,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23depending on if they're in oestrus or not.
0:18:25 > 0:18:30Possessed by her hormones, she turns once more to the silverback,
0:18:30 > 0:18:32but he's not interested.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Twijiki will have to look elsewhere.
0:18:54 > 0:18:55She decides to try her luck
0:18:55 > 0:18:58with the more junior gorillas, the blackbacks.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Twijiki might not know any better, but the blackback is only too aware
0:19:10 > 0:19:13that if he gets caught, there'll be trouble.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16The dominant silverback holds priority,
0:19:16 > 0:19:19and won't put up with this sort of behaviour.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36Despite Rukina's efforts to break up the young couple's embrace,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39sneaky mating does happen.
0:19:39 > 0:19:40Genetic tests have revealed
0:19:40 > 0:19:46that about 15% of infants are not fathered by the dominant silverback.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52It was a mating like this, between Ponoka's mother and a blackback,
0:19:52 > 0:19:55that Martha saw before the young Ponoka was born.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59Discovering who fathered little Ponoka is important
0:19:59 > 0:20:03if Martha is to understand the secret world of gorillas.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10The only way she can solve this mystery is with a paternity test.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18Oh, yeah, ha-ha! That would be Ponoka.
0:20:18 > 0:20:23Yeah. So, the size of the dung corresponds to the size of the gorilla.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28So we've been looking for some time now to get the faeces from Ponoka
0:20:28 > 0:20:31- and today we succeeded.- Yeah.
0:20:31 > 0:20:32Tiny, tiny, tiny.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Martha will send this sample to a laboratory,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40where Ponoka's genetic profile will be compared
0:20:40 > 0:20:42to that of the silverback, Rukina.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44- Do you have the pen?- Yeah.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46OK, great.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17In Congo, Magda is getting ready to meet the two orphaned mountain gorillas,
0:21:17 > 0:21:21and check that they are healthy enough to be moved to their new home.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24(THEY CONVERSE IN NATIVE LANGUAGE)
0:21:27 > 0:21:32Ndeze and Ndakazi's stories began in 2007...
0:21:35 > 0:21:39..when six mountain gorillas were killed in execution-style attacks,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43most likely linked to the illegal charcoal trade.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52Two-month-old Ndakazi was found clinging to the dead body of his mother,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55who had been shot through the back of the head.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01Around the same time, three-month-old Ndeze was discovered
0:22:01 > 0:22:03next to his dead mother.
0:22:10 > 0:22:14Altogether, five gorillas from his family had been killed,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18including the once mighty silverback Senkwekwe,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22whose body was ceremoniously carried off the mountain.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26These atrocities shocked the world,
0:22:26 > 0:22:31but the real struggle was keeping the two young orphans alive.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38It's all right.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43They survived, but because of their contact with humans,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46they are unlikely to go back into the wild.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48However, soon they will be moved
0:22:48 > 0:22:52from this cramped back garden to a purpose-built sanctuary,
0:22:52 > 0:22:56close to the forest that should be their natural home.
0:23:18 > 0:23:19Good...
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Oh, don't be shy!
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Come, come.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29To prepare for the move, the orphans are being introduced to the car
0:23:29 > 0:23:31that will eventually transport them.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Good.
0:23:50 > 0:23:51Give me your hand.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Good.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57That's good.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01It's very important that they know what's happening.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05We don't try to sneak on them and do things by surprise.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15Magda is happy that the orphans are healthy.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19But before she leaves Congo, there is a family of gorillas
0:24:19 > 0:24:24that she needs to check up on, one closely connected to the orphans.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52In Rwanda, the old female, Tuck, has so far chosen
0:24:52 > 0:24:57to stay with silverback Rano and his small, disgruntled band of gorillas.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11As their leader, one of Rano's responsibilities
0:25:11 > 0:25:12is to keep the group safe.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20But now he is taking them out of the National Park
0:25:20 > 0:25:22and onto the farmland that surrounds it.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Rano is desperate to gain the group's respect.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59Leading the gorillas out of the park to find a tasty treat
0:25:59 > 0:26:02could be a way of winning them over.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12But it's not without risk.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Nestling beneath the volcanoes is the bustling town of Ruhengeri.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Its ever-expanding population needs feeding,
0:26:39 > 0:26:44which means the last few hundred mountain gorillas on Earth
0:26:44 > 0:26:47face stiff competition for resources.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Potatoes are the main crop grown here,
0:27:02 > 0:27:07but the gorillas ignore these and go in search of a different delicacy.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Eucalyptus. These fast-growing trees are planted by locals
0:27:24 > 0:27:27to be used for building materials.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37This sort of damage does bring the gorillas into conflict with humans.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44But this is not the only concern for those looking after them.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47By coming onto the farmland,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50the gorillas are exposed to human diseases.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54Gorillas have little immunity to our illnesses.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Even a simple cough or cold could kill them.
0:28:00 > 0:28:05Much work is being done to make people aware of the risks and benefits
0:28:05 > 0:28:09of having mountain gorillas living alongside them.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14CHILDREN SING
0:28:29 > 0:28:31BELL RINGS
0:28:31 > 0:28:35And where better to start than with the next generation?
0:28:35 > 0:28:39At this school, the Art of Conservation team
0:28:39 > 0:28:42are teaching Rwandan children all about gorillas.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49So approximately how many mountain gorillas are alive today?
0:28:49 > 0:28:52(MAN TRANSLATES)
0:28:52 > 0:28:55(IN NATIVE LANGUAGE)
0:28:55 > 0:28:58TRANSLATOR: About 700 up to 800.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04Just as important as learning about mountain gorillas
0:29:04 > 0:29:07is the fact that the gorillas
0:29:07 > 0:29:11are helping to give something back to the local community.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18Money from gorilla tourism is used to build the very schools
0:29:18 > 0:29:20in which the children have their lessons.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25The future of the mountain gorilla
0:29:25 > 0:29:29is in the hands of the people that share this land.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32If both can benefit from this relationship,
0:29:32 > 0:29:35the gorilla's future will be more secure.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03At Martha's forest home in Uganda,
0:30:03 > 0:30:07the results of Ponoka's paternity test have arrived.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13So I just checked my e-mail and the subject heading is,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16"The paternity of Ponoka is solved."
0:30:16 > 0:30:20So I'm very curious to see, because he's nearly one year old.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Yeah. "So if there's no other options,
0:30:25 > 0:30:29"the case for Rukina as father is quite strong. Congrats."
0:30:29 > 0:30:31So yeah, Rukina's the dad. That's exciting. Now we know.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36Knowing the gorilla's paternity helps Martha paint
0:30:36 > 0:30:39a much more accurate picture of gorilla life.
0:30:41 > 0:30:45Although little Ponoka is the son of Rukina,
0:30:45 > 0:30:48this doesn't make his first year any easier.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54At ten months, he's still pretty wobbly on his legs,
0:30:54 > 0:30:58and only just beginning to explore his jungle playground.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06But once he reaches his first birthday,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09his chances of survival will increase.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32Through her close scrutiny of this gorilla family,
0:31:32 > 0:31:37Martha is finding silverback Rukina to be a very successful leader.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42Part of this success is his ability to attract females.
0:31:45 > 0:31:51Unlike Rano, whose only female is the elderly Tuck, Rukina has six females,
0:31:51 > 0:31:55including the newly arrived Twijiki.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Young females often move between groups
0:31:59 > 0:32:01to avoid breeding with their fathers,
0:32:01 > 0:32:06but today, young Twijiki seems happy to mate with just about anyone.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10She's already nearly been caught with one of the blackbacks,
0:32:10 > 0:32:13and that's a dangerous game to be playing.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17Her behaviour has certainly stirred up the group.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20GROWLING AND SHRIEKING
0:32:26 > 0:32:31Twijiki has now positioned herself between two blackbacks.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36Both are interested... but she seems to have a favourite.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48GRUNTING
0:32:53 > 0:32:57The spurned blackback spoils their game.
0:33:00 > 0:33:03They started to mate,
0:33:03 > 0:33:07but then the other blackback grunted at them aggressively, very loudly.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10And then they stopped and the female moved off.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13There was a chance that Rukina would come running.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16If this goes on for much longer,
0:33:16 > 0:33:18the youngsters are certain to get caught.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22THUNDER RUMBLES
0:33:36 > 0:33:38In Rwanda, Felix has received the news
0:33:38 > 0:33:42about Rano leading his group onto the farmland.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44He decides to find them.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57Although Rano needs the group to help him attract more females,
0:33:57 > 0:33:59the group needs Rano.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02Without him, the male blackbacks are too young
0:34:02 > 0:34:06to take on the responsibilities of leadership,
0:34:06 > 0:34:08and the group would fall apart.
0:34:14 > 0:34:20But now it's Rano's leadership skills that are about to be tested to the limit.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31There's another group close by,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35so what now they're doing is, you know, the chest beats,
0:34:35 > 0:34:39hooting from one side and then from the other side as well.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45HOOTING AND GRUNTING
0:34:45 > 0:34:48It's not uncommon
0:34:48 > 0:34:50for gorilla groups to meet,
0:34:50 > 0:34:53and although potentially dangerous,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56it's a chance for females to switch groups.
0:34:59 > 0:35:03Felix is concerned that Tuck, the only female in the group,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06may take this opportunity to leave.
0:35:06 > 0:35:11But Rano seems prepared to risk life and limb trying to hold on to her,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14even though she's spurned him.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Why he's so determined to keep hold of Tuck is a mystery,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20especially since she's unable to breed.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27For whatever reason, he continues to put on an impressive display
0:35:27 > 0:35:30in the hope he can ward off any challenger.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37ROARING AND WHOOPING
0:35:37 > 0:35:40The whooping is thought to be a way of filling the chest with air
0:35:40 > 0:35:44to help increase the effect of the chest beat.
0:35:44 > 0:35:49And right now, Rano needs to sound as impressive and as powerful as he can.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55Felix radios the rangers tracking the other group.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00They are very close.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05(CHEST BEATS)
0:36:06 > 0:36:10The other group is about 200 metres.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18This could be dangerous for Felix and his rangers.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22No-one wants to get caught up in the middle of full-on gorilla warfare.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28But it's terrible news for Rano, as it now seems inevitable
0:36:28 > 0:36:32that he will have to face up to a fight with another silverback.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36To make matters worse,
0:36:36 > 0:36:40Tuck is definitely showing signs of interest in what's going on.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Oh, come on, Tuck, where are you going?
0:36:46 > 0:36:51Already the blackbacks from both groups have started to mix,
0:36:51 > 0:36:53but this is not their fight.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56It's all down to the silverbacks now.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00WHOOPING
0:37:00 > 0:37:03Rano holds back with Tuck...
0:37:04 > 0:37:07..but a clash seems unavoidable.
0:37:12 > 0:37:17And Tuck doesn't make things any easier, as she follows Rano.
0:37:23 > 0:37:28This is a real test of Rano's skills as a leader.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32With three silverbacks and seven females, the rival group is a big one.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43There's three silverbacks in there.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50These females could use this opportunity to join Rano,
0:37:50 > 0:37:54so the rival silverbacks are understandably cautious.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04It's quite serious.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06Everybody's here, all the females.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10Everybody's interested in the other group,
0:38:10 > 0:38:13so it's a very tense situation.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24If this escalates, Rano could be badly hurt.
0:38:26 > 0:38:28The silverbacks posture to each other,
0:38:28 > 0:38:31turning side on to show their full might.
0:38:31 > 0:38:36Rano must stand his ground if he wants to hold on to his group.
0:38:36 > 0:38:41You need to go up there, because that can be nasty sometimes.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50As the gorillas size each other up,
0:38:50 > 0:38:54Rano's stoic defence of Tuck seems to be working.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04The silverbacks realise that none of the females are ready to move...
0:39:05 > 0:39:09..and since no-one wants to fight,
0:39:09 > 0:39:11things begin to calm down.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22As the gorillas start to disperse,
0:39:22 > 0:39:26Felix senses that the situation has been defused.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41Rano has handled this potentially disastrous encounter
0:39:41 > 0:39:43with great skill and courage.
0:39:46 > 0:39:51Whether this has been appreciated by Tuck and the rest of the group
0:39:51 > 0:39:52remains to be seen.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30In Congo, gorilla vet Magda is on her way to visit
0:40:30 > 0:40:32the family of one of the orphans.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37News has reached her of a newborn baby in the group,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40and she wants to make sure it's healthy.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56This is the biggest group on Congolese side.
0:40:56 > 0:40:5936 individuals, and a very unusual thing - only one silverback.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04Usually, in big groups like this, we have three, four, sometimes five silverbacks.
0:41:04 > 0:41:09In Congo side, since April this year, we introduced masks,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12so, because of the health reasons and disease transmission,
0:41:12 > 0:41:15we all wear masks when we watch gorillas.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26Congo is the first country to insist
0:41:26 > 0:41:29that all visitors to the gorillas put on face masks
0:41:29 > 0:41:31to prevent the spread of human disease.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41It's especially important,
0:41:41 > 0:41:45as these are some of the least visited mountain gorillas in the world.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47(MAGDA CROONS)
0:41:47 > 0:41:49Magda makes reassuring gorilla sounds
0:41:49 > 0:41:52so that they are fully aware of her presence.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54(SHE CROONS)
0:41:55 > 0:41:57He's got his lunchbox with him.
0:42:00 > 0:42:05It's an amazing time of year for gorillas now in all Virungas, with bamboo shoots.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09That's probably 90% easily of their diet at this time of year.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28I haven't seen this group before, but that's a very interesting group.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32That's by far the biggest of all the Congolese groups.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35And especially we would like to see the female, Maisha, today,
0:42:35 > 0:42:37maybe we are lucky to see her,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40because she's the youngest in the history mother.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43She's only six years old and she already has a three-week-old baby.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47So we will try to see her if we are lucky.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55Trying to see a mother and baby in a group still suspicious of humans
0:42:55 > 0:42:58is proving to be difficult.
0:43:02 > 0:43:07But at last, Magda is able to get a glimpse of the newly born baby.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20Sometimes, with young females like this, they are confused,
0:43:20 > 0:43:22they don't know how to take care of the baby,
0:43:22 > 0:43:27and babies die within a few days. But this baby's already three weeks old.
0:43:27 > 0:43:29It's holding well, it's active,
0:43:29 > 0:43:31starts already looking at its surroundings.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33So I think it's going to be OK.
0:43:36 > 0:43:41With the birth of this baby, the group is slowly rebuilding itself
0:43:41 > 0:43:44after the horrors of the gorilla murders.
0:43:46 > 0:43:50War, poaching, armed rebels...
0:43:50 > 0:43:55the problems facing gorillas in Congo are immense.
0:43:57 > 0:43:59But despite all this,
0:43:59 > 0:44:02the Congolese are forging ahead with gorilla conservation.
0:44:04 > 0:44:10Looking after the animals are over 650 dedicated rangers.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12Often outnumbered and outgunned,
0:44:12 > 0:44:18over 130 have lost their lives in the line of duty.
0:44:18 > 0:44:23One of the biggest battles is against the illegal charcoal makers.
0:44:24 > 0:44:29Every year, hundreds of tonnes of charcoal are taken from the forest.
0:44:29 > 0:44:33For the local population it's their main cooking fuel.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39Demand is high, and some of it comes from within the National Park
0:44:39 > 0:44:42where the gorillas are found.
0:44:42 > 0:44:44It's the rangers' job
0:44:44 > 0:44:48to shut down these illegal charcoal-making operations.
0:44:49 > 0:44:54But it's no good cutting off the supply if the demand is still there,
0:44:54 > 0:44:57so, ingeniously in Congo,
0:44:57 > 0:45:00they have come up with an alternative cooking fuel -
0:45:00 > 0:45:03briquettes.
0:45:05 > 0:45:08The briquettes can be produced from all sorts of materials,
0:45:08 > 0:45:14including wood chippings, cardboard, even unused husks of rice.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19The process is simple,
0:45:19 > 0:45:23and just requires a pressing machine to create the briquette.
0:45:32 > 0:45:36It's environmentally friendly, and gorilla friendly.
0:45:36 > 0:45:41So far, 600 briquette-making machines have been distributed,
0:45:41 > 0:45:46producing over 3,000 sacks of briquettes each month,
0:45:46 > 0:45:48and creating more than 3,000 jobs.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53It's a great success story, and one that will help secure
0:45:53 > 0:45:57the future of people and gorillas in Congo.
0:46:18 > 0:46:23In Uganda, Martha's gorilla group is travelling deep into the forest.
0:46:27 > 0:46:32Gorillas can have a home range of up to 20 square kilometres,
0:46:32 > 0:46:36and Rukina's group is nearing the very furthest boundary of their range.
0:46:38 > 0:46:43This is a four-hour hike for Martha and the team.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47But it's the only way for Martha to see
0:46:47 > 0:46:52if young female Twijiki is still causing chaos in the group.
0:47:02 > 0:47:04They finally settle, and Martha gets a chance
0:47:04 > 0:47:08to look for the young troublemaker, Twijiki.
0:47:17 > 0:47:22She finds the younger members of the group playing in the undergrowth.
0:47:24 > 0:47:28But it's not just the juveniles enjoying this game.
0:47:28 > 0:47:31Twijiki is also there
0:47:31 > 0:47:34and all three are chuckling in delight.
0:48:03 > 0:48:07It's really nice because Twijiki, the young female, was playing
0:48:07 > 0:48:12and so, again, just how she's not quite an adult, but still not quite a kid.
0:48:12 > 0:48:16So some days she's a young lady, but today she's trying to be a kid.
0:48:18 > 0:48:24Twijiki's venture into adulthood is temporarily on hold.
0:48:27 > 0:48:32And with that, the temptation for the blackbacks to misbehave has gone...
0:48:32 > 0:48:34for now.
0:48:42 > 0:48:46The group has travelled close to the very centre of Bwindi
0:48:46 > 0:48:50and the great swamp from which the park got its name.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18As the light starts to fade,
0:49:18 > 0:49:23the smaller gorillas take to the trees to build their nests.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27They make a fresh nest each night.
0:49:27 > 0:49:31A springy bed of folded branches makes a great natural mattress.
0:49:35 > 0:49:39Nothing beats a newly made bed in your own home.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42But for tonight, it's Martha and her team
0:49:42 > 0:49:45who will be without their creature comforts.
0:49:55 > 0:50:00Instead of trudging home, they decide to camp out for the night.
0:50:07 > 0:50:11Martha always enjoys a night under the stars,
0:50:11 > 0:50:16but tonight there's another reason she wants to be near the gorillas.
0:50:16 > 0:50:20There's a milestone coming up, and Martha can't miss it.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33BIRDS SING
0:50:40 > 0:50:42Daybreak in Uganda.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45Martha is first up.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48For her, this is an eagerly awaited day.
0:50:59 > 0:51:03She's just a 20-minute walk from the gorillas' nesting site.
0:51:36 > 0:51:40And here's what Martha has waited all year to see -
0:51:40 > 0:51:43at last little Ponoka is one.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48This is sort of a milestone for Ponoka.
0:51:48 > 0:51:53About one in three infants don't live past age three,
0:51:53 > 0:51:55so there's very high infant mortality.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58But most of the deaths occur in the first year.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00So now that Ponoka's reached one,
0:52:00 > 0:52:04the likelihood of him surviving goes up dramatically.
0:52:05 > 0:52:11The population of mountain gorillas is so small that every single individual counts.
0:52:11 > 0:52:14It's nice to think that in 15, 20 years,
0:52:14 > 0:52:18he might be a dominant silverback of his own group.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20I hope I'm still here then.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24I won't be running up these hills quite as fast, I guess. I hope so.
0:52:26 > 0:52:29Reaching his first birthday is the first
0:52:29 > 0:52:34of many challenges he will face growing up as a male gorilla.
0:52:34 > 0:52:39But with a successful silverback leader like Rukina heading up his family,
0:52:39 > 0:52:42things are already looking good for his future.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47Under the watchful eye of Martha,
0:52:47 > 0:52:51Rukina is proving to be both a good father and a strong leader.
0:52:53 > 0:52:57My hopes for Rukina and the rest of his group
0:52:57 > 0:53:02is that they live a natural, normal life span in a well-protected park.
0:53:02 > 0:53:08At the moment, Bwindi is quite well protected, so I have reason to hope.
0:53:34 > 0:53:39In Congo, it's also a big day for the orphaned gorillas.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41At last they're on the move.
0:53:48 > 0:53:50Having been passed healthy by Magda,
0:53:50 > 0:53:53they are driven two hours to their new home.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05It's this kind of commitment to the last few hundred mountain gorillas
0:54:05 > 0:54:10that's essential if they are to survive into the next century.
0:54:26 > 0:54:32Now they are finally able to enjoy living in a much more suitable home.
0:54:33 > 0:54:35They can never go back into the wild,
0:54:35 > 0:54:39as it's unlikely they would be accepted into a group.
0:54:39 > 0:54:40But they have each other,
0:54:40 > 0:54:45and their new home is as close as can be to the forest they came from.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14But what of the brave silverback leader Rano,
0:55:14 > 0:55:18living on the slopes of the Rwandan volcanoes?
0:55:18 > 0:55:20Has the group finally accepted him?
0:55:31 > 0:55:35They certainly seem a lot more relaxed and at ease with each other.
0:55:47 > 0:55:51Maybe Rano's heroic stand against a larger, stronger group
0:55:51 > 0:55:56has convinced the others that he might be a leader worth following.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02But what of his future?
0:56:05 > 0:56:09They all need each other.
0:56:09 > 0:56:11Rano, as the dominant silverback,
0:56:11 > 0:56:14needs all the support he can get from these guys,
0:56:14 > 0:56:17so let's, you know, give them some time,
0:56:17 > 0:56:22three, four years, they will grow and they will start to interact,
0:56:22 > 0:56:25having these encounters with other groups,
0:56:25 > 0:56:29and they will eventually attract females.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32My hopes for Rano, I really hope, you know, he does
0:56:32 > 0:56:35get some more females in the future.
0:56:35 > 0:56:37I do like Rano.
0:56:38 > 0:56:40He still has a long way to go
0:56:40 > 0:56:43before he reaches the status of his father,
0:56:43 > 0:56:45the legendary Titus.
0:56:45 > 0:56:49It would certainly help if he could attract more females,
0:56:49 > 0:56:53but with the hard-earned support of his fellow gorillas,
0:56:53 > 0:56:57at least he has the chance to follow in his father's footsteps.
0:56:57 > 0:57:02Rano is also lucky because, as well as his group,
0:57:02 > 0:57:06he has the support of a dedicated team of scientists...
0:57:07 > 0:57:08..trackers...
0:57:10 > 0:57:11..and vets...
0:57:11 > 0:57:15all working to ensure the future remains bright
0:57:15 > 0:57:20for every gorilla in this precious mountain kingdom.
0:57:33 > 0:57:36Rano, in his forest home in the heart of Africa,
0:57:36 > 0:57:40is one of the last 700 mountain gorillas
0:57:40 > 0:57:44that together are a species in intensive care.
0:57:51 > 0:57:55But it's exactly this kind of care and attention
0:57:55 > 0:57:58that has ensured that, for the past 20 years,
0:57:58 > 0:58:03mountain gorilla populations haven't dropped, or just stayed still,
0:58:03 > 0:58:06they've actually risen.
0:58:08 > 0:58:11Could the last few hundred mountain gorillas
0:58:11 > 0:58:14finally be safe in our hands?
0:58:38 > 0:58:41Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:41 > 0:58:44E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk