Mbanda, a Bakaya tribesman, leads us expertly to where lowland gorillas were last seen, looks for subtle clues along the way.

The Bakaya have incredible insight into these gorillas’ lives, but they didn’t always have a friendly relationship; they used to illegally kill them for bushmeat. The gorillas’ population dwindled, and something needed to change.

Thanks to the Primate Habituation Programme - who turned to the gorillas’ main enemy, the Bakaya, for help - the tribe’s hunting skills produced astounding results. Today they earn a living, not from poaching, but from introducing researchers and tourists to their new friends.