The Guardian Artist's Proof

The rare mountain gorilla is found in small family groups in the high mountains which straddle the joint borders of Rwanda, Zaire and Uganda. This painting depicts one such group comprising an adult male (Silverback), three females of varying ages and three youngsters. Normally, a gorilla group would be somewhat larger than this. The vegetation is typical of the Virunga Mountains showing bamboo in the backyard and a tangled mass of undergrowth from which the gorillas collect their favored plants. This group is taking a rest from foraging to relax, groom each other and allow the young to play. The male, which probably weighs around 450 pounds, rises to his full height to investigate an unfamiliar sound, ever mindful of his responsibilities as the family's guardian.