Gorillas are the largest of the living primates. They are
ground-dwelling herbivores that inhabit the forests of Africa.
Gorillas are divided into two species and (still under debate as
of 2008) either four or five subspecies. The DNA of gorillas is
98%–99% identical to that of a human, and they are the next
closest living relatives to humans after the two chimpanzee
species. Gorillas live in tropical or subtropical forests.
Although their range covers a small percentage of Africa,
gorillas cover a wide range of elevations. The Mountain Gorilla
inhabits the Albertine Rift montane cloud forests of the Virunga
Volcanoes, ranging in altitude from 2225 to 4267 m (7300-14000
ft). Lowland Gorillas live in dense forests and lowland swamps
and marshes as low as sea level.