Mountain Gorilla

Gorilla Gorilla Beringei
Kivu Volcanoes, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Akeley Hall of African Mammals

It is in the mountain gorilla diorama that we truly sense Carl Akeley's love for Africa and its wildlife, and his complete dedication to sharing this love and appreciation in order to promote the preservation of African wilderness.

The only taxidermist ever to have observed and studied gorillas in the wild, Akeley returned from his 1921 expedition with motion pictures, notes, and specimens that provided the first accurate scientific records of this animal in its natural habitat. Thus equipped, he worked to mount the most anatomically accurate specimens of mountain gorillas ever prepared for public display.