Photographer Brent Stirton celebrates DRC's Virunga National Park

The fear of dying in Ndakasi’s eyes, here with her carer André Bauma from the Senkwekwe Centre, the only refuge in the world for mountain gorillas. Ndakasi survived when the rest of her family was killed in 2007. She spent the rest of her life in the company of humans and other orphaned gorillas. (2021) © Brent Stirton / Getty Images

Perpignan – Virunga, Africa’s first national park, is home to endangered wildlife, including the world’s largest population of mountain gorillas. Situated in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the park is marking its centenary despite continuing threats from armed groups and regional instability. Photographer Brent Stirton’s powerful series, “Virunga National Park. DRC: 100 Years of Resilience”, has been awarded the Visa d’Or Magazine prize at Visa pour l’Image in Perpignan.

Located in the volatile eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Virunga is not only Africa’s first national park but also one of its most biodiverse and economically promising.