In the forests of the eastern half of the Democratic Republic of the Congo lies the Virunga National Park (8000 sq. km.) The park was established in 1925 as Africa's first national park and is a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site since 1979. The park is known for its exceptional biodiversity and it is the last remaining large range of the mountain gorilla. But the park has also become a fierce battleground where the rangers, often former child-soldiers, try to protect the park's flora and fauna against the armed militias that are determined to take over the park and exploit its natural resources.
