Gorilla Protection

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jan 09 2009 | By: admin

Year of the Gorilla is now underway – here are some interesting things to look out for.

The Gorilla Agreement has been signed. It is an international treaty, a legally binding agreement among the ten countries with gorilla habitats, requiring that they protect and conserve the gorillas. Implementation will include anti-poaching campaigns, reforestation work, and developing eco-tourism along with community development projects. Six of the ten governments have signed the agreement: Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Gabon. Still to sign are Angola, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda.

A gorilla appears on Rwanda’s largest banknote, the pink 5,000-Franc bill, which is worth almost $10. But the apes carry an even greater responsibility on their hairy shoulders: they have effectively become national mascots.

Recycling phones - A company called Eco-Cell recycles cell phones, collecting them at zoos and other places around the country. The company recently announced that the Louisville Zoo led the more than 100 zoos across USA that recycled cell phones in 2008.

At WildlifeDirect we have done several things already.

With partners Clinton Foundation, Turtle Pond, Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation and Scholastic Publications we Published a childrens book “Looking for Miza”- the true story about how 2 year old baby Miza survived after her mother was killed in the DR Congo last year

In partnership with with Scholastic and Turtle PondHeld the Kids Gorilla Summit and got thousands of signatures on the Kids Global Act Pact

American and Rwandan children met with President Clinton to sign the Act Pact

This is only the beginning of the Year of the Gorilla. Throughout this year we will be bringing even more news about gorilla conservation from across the continent and working with new partners in many gorilla range states. We will of course be letting you know how you can help save one of our closest living relatives.

A number of conservation organizations are announcing their commitments to actions this year. The following activities are planned by the The Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe organization

Reforestation of a Buffer Zone on Mt. Tshiaberimu
Near Mt. Tshiaberimu (a part of the Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo) trees are grown in a tree nursery. The Congolese initiative SAGOT planted 40,000 seedlings that will be planted at the border of the national park in 2009. The aim is to create a forested buffer zone for the Mt. Tshiaberimu gorillas who frequently use the area. The whole project is funded by us.

HuGo in Uganda und Ruanda
Conflicts between humans and gorillas are common if the forests for the gorillas shrink and land is cultivated right next to the conservation areas. In Rwanda und Uganda the program HuGo (Human-Gorilla Conflict Resolution) was initiated to solve and avoid such conflicts. Teams with members from the villages close to the park observe the gorillas’ ranging and become active as soon as they leave the parks. If the situation is critical, the HuGo teams chase the gorillas away with loud noise.
We support the HuGo teams in Rwanda and Uganda in 2009 by funding training and equipment (rain jackets, gumboots, bicycles).

Emergency Support for Cameroon
The international financial crisis now also affects gorilla conservation. We received an urgent request for support from Cameroon because a sponsor had to cancel his funds. The projects for the conservation of the Cross River gorillas there need the followind:
The solar power system needs repair after having been damaged by lightning. The daily patrols for gorilla monitoring and protection have to continue in Kagwene. In the Mone Forest a botanical survey is planned. And the employees of the project need additional funds for their families because highly elevated food prices in the markets.

Do you know of any other planned YOG activities? Are you going to do to celebrate the Year of the Gorilla?

Tags: , Clinton, Looking for Miza, UN, wildlifedirect, Year of Gorilla

5 responses so far

Category: Kabirizi Family | Date: Oct 05 2008 | By: rumangaboyouth

Looking for Miza was only just recently launched in New York at the first childrens Gorilla Summit

The book was developed to raise awareness amongst young people about the crisis facing mountain gorillas, and the need for everyone to help. Like it’s predecessor Owen and Mzee, “Looking for Miza” is already no. 1 in Amazons non fiction childrens books on monkeys and apes.  This book was made possible through a collaboration with the ICCN and involved working with  Diddy and Innocent, two rangers who are the heroes of the story. After spending time with them in Congo they both came to Kenya to help tie up ends. Both Diddy and Innocent were wonderful to work with and are recognized in the book along with others for their important contributions towards the story and photos. from is the editorial review on Amazon

“In a magical place called the Congo, in the beautiful forests and jungles of Virunga National Park, lives a young female mountain gorilla named Miza. She was just like any other baby gorilla, riding on her mother’s back, playing, taking naps. Then, one day, when Miza and her mother were out searching for food, Miza’s mother disappeared, leaving her baby alone and frightened. Miza’s father, a fierce silverback named Kabirizi and the leader of Virunga’s largest family of mountain gorillas, set out to find Miza. The Congolese rangers, who dedicate their lives to protecting the gorillas, were searching for Miza, too. Everyone was worried about her. Then something amazing happened: Kabirizi found Miza and brought her back to live with her family.

Virunga is home to roughly 380 mountain gorillas, just over half of the planet’s remaining mountain gorilla population. Miza and other mountain gorillas face an especially uncertain future. They are an endangered species, disappearing at an alarming speed. Without our help they could vanish completely.

Filled with lush photographs by award-winning photographer Peter Greste, LOOKING FOR MIZA is a powerful call to action. The fate of these majestic creatures is in our hands. This is Miza’s story. It’s our story, too. “

Children are signing the Kids Global Act  Pact and leaving suggestions for solutions to the crisis on the Scholastic website here

You can order the book on Amazon here 

Tags: Congo, gorillas, Looking for Miza, Mountain Gorillas, Virunga National Park

3 responses so far