Gorilla

Hi, this is Tuver,

While many of the communities situated on the edge of the Virunga Massif don’t have access to electricity, this doesn’t mean that people living around the protected area can’t see films about their endangered cousins. In fact, thanks to the pedal-powered cinemas we’re running with the Great Apes Film Initiative (GAFI), films can now be screened in even the most-remote villages. Not only does this mean children and adults alike can learn about gorillas and their precious habitat, but many also get to watch a film for the first time in their lives!

Over recent days, we’ve been setting up our mobile cinema in the region surrounding the Mount Muhabura, an extinct volcano sitting on the border between Rwanda and Uganda. With the support of the Wildlife Clubs of Uganda, around 2,240 pupils from the Kaber, Gisozi and Chanika primary schools have watched the films, with most only too happy to power the projector, as you can see below.

Children take it in turns to power the cinema

It’s always great to see the look on people’s faces when the films are screened. The cinemas are always packed and there’s always silence as scientists explain all about the great apes up on the big screen.

Such is the excitement generated when our team arrives into a village, people working in the surrounding fields often put down their tools to come and watch our films. What’s more, they’re usually keen to help out with the pedalling, even though they will have to get back to their work once the show is over

Since the programme was launched back in November 2010, around 21,400 people have watched these pedal-powered films, and we hope this will increase to 60,000 by the end of October. Judging by the debates that take place after each screening, it’s obvious that the films are a real hit, with many people wanting to learn more about gorillas or even visit them for themselves. So let’s hope that the success of our Ugandan bike-powered cinemas can be replicated across the border in Rwanda and also in DR Congo in the months and years ahead.

Here are a couple more pictures of the cinema in action…

Smiles all round as school children learn about gorillas and their habitat

The arrival of the pedal-powered cinema team always causes great excitement

Hi there,

Have a look at this YoG song by US musician James Leo Oliver at the United Methodist Church’s Sing for Gorilla fundraiser, which took place in Marshall, Michigan, on August 14th. Bamm Bamm recordings helped with the recording, David Begg (who also was main organizer of the UMC’s series of YoG events this summer) provided video material and Glen Cole helped with the video production. Thanks, guys!

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Ian Redmond, a tropical field biologist and conservationist, spoke about the dangers of decreasing ape populations at a presentation hosted by the Department of Anthropology on Thursday. Several hundred students attended to hear Redmond speak about the importance of ape conservation and their impact on the world. Redmond’s presentation was titled, “Save the Gorillas to Save the World.”

Redmond detailed the impact of gorillas, both currently and if they become extinct, on the world. According to Redmond, by 2030, only 10 percent of great ape habitats will remain free of the impacts of human development in Africa. Only 1 percent of orangutans will avoid the same impacts in Southeast Asia. Gorilla populations have had some recovery successes, but their numbers continue to decrease.

Redmond explained that gorillas are essential to the survival of ecosystems in their home countries, as they fertilize and disperse seeds through their dung, which regenerates the forests. [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/hGhSQbqKSMo" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]Protecting gorilla habitats preserves forests, which in turn decreases the amount of carbon dioxide that enters the atmosphere from a reduced number of trees and the harvesting process. Redmond concluded his talk by stating primates are keystone species in habitats that provide ecosystem services for the whole planet. Saving the gorillas will preserve ecosystems that directly determine human survival.

Here’s another of Ian Redmond’s YoG interviews, this time with John Kahekwa at the Kahuzi Biega National Park. The park has lost most of its gorillas and elephants to poaching related to coltan mining and the war which started in 1994, and the absence of their ‘gardening’ activities has led to profound changes in vegetation cover and other ecosystem features.

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Go to www.yog2009.org to find out more about the campaign and how to support.

Ian is back in the UK, catching up with himself and preparing for his next journey, this time to the concrete jungles of LA, San Diego etc. to fundraise for YoG through a lecture tour.

As the regular reader of this blog will remember, Ian did numerous video interviews and collected other video material. Unfortunately, the files were too large to upload as he went, but we are now receiving them.

One of Ian’s first visits in the Dem. Rep. of Congo was to the Kahuzi Biega National Park, where he interviewed Head Ranger Radar Nishuli on the ever-volatile situation there and on what he thinks of the YoG. Enjoy!

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For the first time in Republic of Congo, a chimpanzee dealer was arrested and finally prosecuted. He was judged guilty and was sentenced to one year in prison and fined 1,100,000 CFA (1,679 Euro). This is the result of the Project PALF (Project to Apply the Fauna Law or Projet d’Appui à l’Application de la Loi Faunique), managed by The Aspinall Foundation and WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society). This project also benefits gorillas and you can donate for it!

Here you can watch PALF footage on Youtube.

Or you can watch the clips right here:

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World renowned conservationist George Schaller, one of the first to look at gorillas from a modern, enlightened perspective, gives a recount of his experiences and an outlook on the future and obstacles of gorilla conservation. A must-see!

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There is also a higher quality version on Youtube, click here.

YoG Patron Dr. Jane Goodall (DBE) kindly supplied us with this video message of support to be shown at the Frankfurt Gorilla Symposium in Frankfurt, Germany, which took place from 9-11 June. We thank her for lending her voice to this main YoG event, whose attendees collectively produced a 'Frankfurt Gorilla Declaration', find out more here.

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And here's another message Jane Goodall recently shot in Africa (link to Vimeo).