New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018

 
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New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018
issue 46 autumn 2014                                                                                                     the gorilla organization

New Charter pledges to raise mountain
gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018
                                                                                                                          Letter from the
As mountain gorillas continue to
teeter on the edge of extinction, the                                                                                     Virungas
Gorilla Organization has launched a
new initiative aimed at securing the                                                                                      Here in the Virunga region of Africa,
long-term future of the great apes.                                                                                       we take great pride in the rich variety
      Over the past few years, the                                                                                        of wildlife we live alongside.
number of mountain gorillas left in                                                                                             Above all, though the
the world has been rising, thanks in                                                                                      communities living alongside the
no small part to the move away from                                                                                       protected parks have great respect
traditional models of conservation                                                                                        for all animals, it is the gorillas they
towards community-led, grassroots                                                                                         revere the most.
alternatives. Encouragingly, the                                                                                                Now, however, those
latest censuses carried out in                                                                                            of us working to save
Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo                                                                                               wildlife, including
indicate that there are now around                                                                                        gorillas, are
890 mountain gorillas living in the                                                                                       really feeling
Virunga mountains, the only place                                                                                         the effects of
on the planet where they are found.                                                                                       the economic
      Nevertheless, despite recent      Despite recent gains mountain gorilla numbers remain perilously low               troubles of
successes, mountain gorillas, as with                                                                                     the rest of
all other sub-species of the great      for Evolutionary Anthropology          Jillian Miller. “With it we pledge         the world.
ape, remain critically endangered,      explained to Digit News, “smaller      to work with local communities             Funding we
and numbers are still believed to be    populations are intrinsically more     to ensure the long-term survival of        have previously
well below the carrying capacity        vulnerable to environmental change,    gorillas, while also supporting more       relied upon has
of their native environment and         epidemics, or, over the long term,     immediate conservation efforts             been drying up,
insufficient to guarantee long-term     loss of genetic diversity”.            such as ranger patrols and ongoing         making a tough job even
survival. As Dr Linda Vigilant of                                              research. We know that this is the         tougher.
the prestigious Max Planck Institute    A Charter for the future               best way to protect gorillas and,                We know the good will is there,
                                        To help stabilise the mountain         hopefully, will ensure we meet our         but this drop in financial support
                                         gorilla population, the Gorilla       ambitious target.”                         makes it hard for us to carry out vital
                                         Organization has launched its                                                    frontline conservation work at a time
                                         new Target 1,000 Gorillas appeal.     Funding frontline conservation             when, for economic reasons, many of
                                          The aim of the ambitious appeal      To succeed in ensuring that there          our neighbours are turning back to the
                                          is to help increase the number of    are at least 1,000 mountain gorillas       resources of the protected forests.
                                          mountain gorillas living in the      living freely in the forests of Central          It’s no secret that many of us
                                           wild to 1,000 by the end of 2018.   Africa by 2018, £750,000 needs to          fear the advances made over the past
                                           Underpinning the appeal is a new    be raised over the next 36 months.         20 years could soon be undone. We
                                           Gorilla Charter (left), outlining   All of the money will be used to           should be proud of what we have
                                            how this target can be achieved    fund vital frontline conservation          achieved – and we are.
                                            and asking supporters to sign      work as well as innovative                       But we know that, in these most
                                             up to be part of the generation   grassroots development projects            difficult of times, we are more reliant
                                             that brings mountain gorillas     aimed at addressing the factors that       than ever on outside support if we
                                              back for good from the brink     drive habitat loss and poaching.           are to keep gorillas from vanishing
                                              of extinction.                         A copy of the Gorilla Charter        forever.
                                                      “The Gorilla Charter     can be found on the Gorilla
                                               encapsulates everything         Organization website. “Please read
                                               we’ve learned in more than      it, pass it on and play your part
                                               20 years of working to save     in making sure these wonderful
                                                gorillas from extinction,”     animals are around for generations         Goma, DR Congo
                                                says Executive Director        to come,” adds Jillian.

                                                   www.gorillas.org                                                                                        1
New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018
TERNATIONAL NEWS...INTERNATIO
 Crossing continents for
 nature’s gentle giants
 Some fundraisers really do go the               “I’ve loved gorillas since I
 extra mile for gorillas, and Kyran        was a boy,” Kyran says. “And so
 Young is one of them. In fact, the        when I learned how this beautiful,
 young conservationist is getting          hazel-eyed pacifist has been pushed
 ready to walk the 2,600 miles from        to the brink of extinction, I knew
 Mexico to Canada for the great apes       I had to do something.”
 next spring.                                    The ‘Gorilla Walker’ believes
       To prepare, Kyran spent his         his trans-continental trek will take
 summer holidays rambling across the       him up to four months to complete
 Spanish Pyrenees. Walking 14 hours        and he’s calling on his fellow
 a day and overcoming dense fog,           great ape lovers to help him hit his
 occasional bouts of loneliness and        sponsorship target of £10,000. At the
 regular dreams of pizza, he made it       time of going to print, he’d already
 to the Mediterranean coast after just     raised almost £1,000.
 four weeks, and is now confident that           To follow Kyran on his
 he’s ready to go even further for a       journey, visit his blog at www.
 species close to his heart.               gorillawalker.com, where you’ll also
                                           find out how you can donate.             Kyran Young, the ‘Gorilla Walker’ hits the high road

                                           GO flag flies on top of Africa once again
                                           The flag of the Gorilla Organization     Kilimanjaro to highlight the plight      Day, the climb was dedicated to
                                           once again flew over Africa when         of great apes around the world.          those who work on the frontline of
                                           Chairman Ian Redmond reached the               “We’re all of us 98.4 per cent     conservation, and above all to the
                                           continent’s highest point on a special   chimp, 97.7 per cent gorilla and         brave men and women who have
                                           fundraising mission.                     96.4 per cent orangutan, so this was     lost their lives protecting gorillas
                                                 The globe-trotting prima-          a great chance to unite to save our      and other endangered species.
                                           tologist was part of a group of          cousins,” Ian said from the summit.
                                           conservationists taking part in the            Since the team made it to the      Pictured left: Ian at the summit
                                           expedition to the top of Mount           top of Kilimanjaro on World Ranger       with GGR flyer

 Great Gorilla Run 2014
 The fur flew in London for the 2014       they were rewarded with a medal
 Great Gorilla Run, with more than 500     and, of course, a banana.
 participants raising tens of thousands          “You guys are a perfect
 of pounds for gorilla conservation.       example of animals inspiring the
       As always, celebrity                best of humans,” Bill told the crowd
 conservationist Bill Oddie was on         of runners and supporters after the
 hand to wave the gorillas off on the      event. “I truly do treasure this event
 8km course, which saw them cross          and can’t wait for next year to do it
 Tower Bridge and race past City Hall      all again!”
 and Tate Modern.                                To find out more about the
       Bill was joined by illusionist      Great Gorilla Run and to sign up
 Uri Geller in welcoming the runners       for the 2015 event, please visit
 back across the finish line, where        www.greatgorillarun.org                  Bill Oddie and Uri Geller get the Great Gorilla Run started

 Stanley takes up role of President Emeritus
 Stanley Johnson has officially taken up                                                  Now, despite being busier          habitat and they need all the financial
 the role of the Gorilla Organization’s                                             than ever, Stanley has accepted a        help we can give them, especially
 first-ever President Emeritus.                                                     new position of President Emeritus,      during these turbulent times.”
        The author, explorer,                                                       bringing both boundless enthusiasm             As President Emeritus, Stanley
 campaigner and some-time politician                                                and invaluable experience to the role.   will also play an instrumental role
 served as Chairman between 2009                                                          “My main concern is raising        in lobbying on behalf of gorillas
 and 2012, during which time he                                                     funds for gorilla conservation,” he      and raising valuable support for the
 climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and                                                      explains. “My colleagues on the          Gorilla Organization’s grassroots
 raised large sums of money for                                                     ground in Africa work incredibly         conservation and development
 conservation projects in Africa.          Stanley, a President for life            hard to protect the gorillas and their   projects in Central Africa.
 2
New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018
ONAL NEWS...INTERNATIONAL NEW
 New partnership to halt
 loss of gorilla habitat
 The trees of the Kahuzi Biega                    Thanks to the Goma team’s
 National Park provide the                 strong track record in working with
 endangered eastern lowland                local communities to successfully
 gorillas living within its boundaries     reforest large areas of land, the Gorilla
 food and shelter.                         Organization has been named the
       However, it’s not just great        preferred partner of an ambitious new
 apes that have always been dependent      project being funded by the Africa
 on the rich forests of this part of DR    Development Bank (ADB).
 Congo. For centuries, the trees have             Through the initiative, more
 also provided humans with food, fuel      than two million seedlings will be
 and shelter.                              planted with the aim of reforesting
       Over the past few decades,          some 1,000 hectares of land.
 the number of people settling                    In addition to working with the
 within walking distance of the park       ADB, the Gorilla Organization team
 has soared. Internal migration of         will also be working alongside people
 refugees has caused the regional          living in the Kalehe, Kabare and
 population to expand significantly,       Walungu territories, with grassroots
 while crippling levels of poverty         cooperation crucial to the long-term
 mean many people have little choice       success of the project.
                                                                                       Gorillas rely on the Congo’s lush forests for food and shelter
 but to trespass into the forests in
 search of natural resources.              Massive potential for project
                                           According to Henry Cirhuza,                 “This is why this type of project has       is testament to the high regard the
 Gorilla habitat shrinking                 Programmes Manager at the Goma              always won the support of local             Gorilla Organization is held in this
 Despite the best efforts of the           Resource Centre, this forward-              communities. Now, we can not only           part of Africa. With the ink still drying
 authorities, the forests have been        thinking new partnership has the            start to restore significant parts of the   on this new agreement, Henry and his
 shrinking at an alarming rate, placing    potential to make a big difference          precious forest, giving gorillas some       team are hopeful that they may soon
 the gorillas in grave danger. To          to both local communities and their         vital breathing space, but by planting      get even more opportunities to build
 counter this, the Gorilla Organization    gorilla neighbours.                         fast-growing trees that can be used for     on their community-led approach to
 has already planted tens of thousands           “The areas around Kahuzi              firewood and timber, we can reduce          changing people’s lives for the better
 of trees along the park’s boundaries,     Biega are very densely populated, so        reliance on the trees found on the          and building a brighter future for
 placing a vital buffer between gorillas   the need for wood to burn and timber        other side of the park boundary.”           the Congo’s critically-endangered
 and humans.                               for construction is huge,” he explains.            The partnership with the ADB         lowland and mountain gorillas.

 Community conservation credited for rise in gorilla numbers
 Giving local communities a                                                            gorillas,” he recalls. “This means,         again, the community-based ideals
 central role to play in conservation                                                  the communities were hardly                 upon which the Gorilla Organization
 is the most-effective means of                                                        involved at all, not even to share          was founded are seen as the key to
 safeguarding Africa’s critically-                                                     their thoughts on how native forests        ongoing success.
 endangered gorillas: that’s the                                                       and wildlife could be protected.                   In particular, education
 Gorilla Organization philosophy                                                              “Now, saving gorillas has            and outreach projects aimed at
 and that’s also the conclusion of                                                     really become a real community              inspiring a new generation of gorilla
 a new report from the Rwanda                                                          endeavour,” Emmanuel adds.                  guardians are now a central part of
 Development Board (RDB).                                                                                                          conservation efforts, another thing
       Released to coincide with                                                       People support themselves                   that was not always the case.
 the tenth annual Kwita Izina baby                                                     “Conservation, research and                        “As a native of this area, I
 gorilla naming ceremony, the                                                          veterinary jobs are open to all,            remember that when I was young,
 official statistics show that the                                                     and many more people support                talking about gorillas and volcanoes
 total number of mountain gorillas                                                     themselves and their families               was seen as quite risky,” Emmanuel
 found in the country has risen by an                                                  through tourism, including through          adds. “Talking about some parts of
 encouraging 26.3 per cent over the                                                    the revenue sharing scheme in               nature was seen as tempting bad
 past decade.                              Gorilla numbers rising                      which five per cent of money made           luck, so it’s incredibly important
                                                                                       from selling gorilla trekking permits       that attitudes have changed so much
 Cooperation not coercion                  National Park, along with the support       to tourists goes to support the socio-      and so quickly.”
 Notably, it’s not merely tougher          of the international community”.            economic development of some of                    Sadly, even with numbers
 law enforcement in and around the               It’s not always been this way,        our country’s poorest towns and             up by 26%, Rwanda’s mountain
 gorilla habitat that’s credited as the    however. Emmanuel Bugingo, the              villages.”                                  gorillas are still in peril, with habitat
 main reason for this remarkable           Gorilla Organization’s Programme                  Not for nothing was the               loss and poaching the main threats
 turnaround. Rather, according to          Manager in Rwanda, has been at the          2014 Kwitza Izina festival given            to their survival. However, with
 Rwanda’s Head of Tourism and              forefront of this changing approach         the theme of ‘Empowering and                conservationists and the authorities
 Conservation, the main driver of          to conservation since 2002.                 Growing’. As well as looking back           now agreed on the best way to
 change over recent years has been               “When I started in this job,          and celebrating the successes of the        address these threats, the great apes
 increased “community ownership            coercive measures were seen as the          past decade, this summer’s RDB              have been brought back from the
 of projects around the Volcanoes          best – and only – way of protecting         report also looked to the future, and       brink of extinction, for now at least.
                                                                                                                                                                          3
New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018
The Gorilla Organization
110 Gloucester Avenue
London NW1 8HX
                                         Ymke’s legacy lives on
Tel: 020 7916 4974
info@gorillas.org                        Four years after her tragic death, Dr                                                Primate Working Group, designed
www.gorillas.org                         Ymke Warren’s presence continues                                                     to facilitate African leadership in
Reg. Charity No. 1117131                 to be felt in the exciting world of                                                  the study and conservation of the
Trustees:                                gorilla conservation.                                                                continent’s primates.
Ian Redmond OBE, Chairman                      In the wake of her murder                                                            “Dr Warren was a strong
Sandra Bakker                            in Cameroon, friends and family                                                      supporter of capacity building in
Paul Baldwin                             of the respected primatologist set                                                   Africans and she would have been
Dr J.E. Clarke                           up a special fund in her memory                                                      very supportive of the working
Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka                to assist promising young African                                                    group,” Denis says “I would like
Martin Payne                             conservationists.                                                                    to thank all those whose constant
Lord Spencer J Phillips                        The first recipient of this grant,                                             support made this happen,
Belinda Wakeling                         Denis Ndeloh, worked alongside                                                       including the team at the Gorilla
Executive Director: Jillian Miller       Ymke researching Cross River                                                         Organization.
                                         gorillas. The funding has enabled                                                          “It is my wish that this grant
Patrons:                                 him to carry on this pioneering work                                                 continues to support many more
Richard Adams, Michael Backes,           and, just recently, participate in the                                               African gorilla researchers and
Prof. Richard Dawkins FRS,               inaugural meeting of the African           Denis busy at work in the forest          conservationists.”
Leonardo DiCaprio, Daryl Hannah,
Dr Nathan Myhrvold, The Hon. Mrs

                                         Goodbye,
Claire Ward
Digit News
Editor: Jillian Miller
Deputy Editor: David Hewitt
Contributors: Tuver Wundi,
                                         Rano
Emmanuel Bugingo, David Hewitt,          Less than five years after the death
Paul Heckel                              of its legendary founding silverback,
Photographs: Paul Heckel, Tuver          the Titus gorilla group suffered
Wundi, Uganda Wildlife Authority         another loss, with the passing of
                                         alpha male Umushikirano.
DTP: Column Communications Ltd                   The lifeless body of Rano, as
Printing: Emmerson Press                 he was popularly known, was found
                                         by rangers carrying out a routine
                                         patrol of the Volcanoes National
                                         Park. Initial examinations showed
                                         no signs of violence and further tests

    Adoptions:                           indicate he died from natural causes.
                                                 Rano was just 21 years old
                                         when he died, but in those years
    the movie                            he had a dramatic life. “He spent
                                         many years wandering the forests
    The Gorilla Organization’s           as a sole silverback,” explains the        Silverback Rano is sadly missed but his family is still thriving
    award-winning adoption               Gorilla Organization’s Emmanuel
    pack gives gorilla-lovers the        Bugingo, who visited him on many           of the Karisoke volcano, the Titus        and who went on to father a record
    chance to learn more about           occasions. “However, after a few           group is arguably the most famous         number of offspring.
    the great apes while also            years of solitude he returned to take      great ape family in the world. The              Despite Rano’s death, the
    playing a role in saving them        over his father’s group, fighting off      group was established by Titus            group, now officially named the
    from extinction.                     the rival silverback Kuryama, who          himself, the gorilla who, as an           Umushikirano group, thrives, with
        A short film explaining          was also his brother.”                     infant, so famously climbed over          an infant born last year bringing
    just how adopting a single                   Living on the Eastern slopes       broadcaster Sir David Attenborough        their current number to nine.
    infant gorilla can help an
    entire species can be found          Batwa farmers battle against extreme weather
    online at: www.gorillas.org
                                         A lack of arable land to call their        alongside. In fact, this season, 125      could be a sign of things to come.
                                         own and a shortage of funding have         local families have benefited from        The Batwa will now plant their crops
                                         not stood in the way of Kisoro’s           the project, with many even growing       earlier in an effort to guard against
                                         pioneering Batwa farmers.                  enough produce to feed themselves         the extreme weather that seems to
                                                Thanks to the Gorilla               and sell the surplus at a local market.   be becoming more commonplace
                                         Organization’s innovative Batwa                   Now, however, the budding          in this part of Africa. Fingers
                                         Training Programme, they’ve                agricultural entrepreneurs face           crossed they can face this challenge
                                         overcome these challenges and more         another problem: climate change.          with the same determination and
                                         to at long last make a living without      The dry weather which hit the Kisoro      resourcefulness they’ve shown since
                                         having to rely on the natural resources    district in May was responsible for       the BTP initiative was launched
                                         found in the gorilla forest they live      lower-than-expected harvests and          back in 2008.

THANK YOU                                Cowan, The Estate of the Late
                                         George McNeil, Mrs Sarianne
                                                                                    Plc, Lindeth Charitable Trust, The
                                                                                    Green Mountain Trust, Dischma
                                                                                                                              Trust, Evan Cornish Foundation,
                                                                                                                              Simon Gibson Charitable Trust,
    The Estate of the Late Janet         Durie, Mr A Del Tufo, Mr Chris             Charitable Trust, Gemini                  Chalk Cliff Trust, The Mitchell
    Holloway, The Estate of the Late     Gepp, Mrs Joan Pibouleau, Miss             Foundation, Mrs S H Adlam Will            Trust, Edward Smart, The Hoare
    Ms Marie Therese Jones, The          Phyllis Peters, Fountain of Youth          Trust, R G Hills Charitable Trust,        Trust and to all our wonderful
    Estate of the Late Mrs Elizabeth     UK, Props ‘n’ Frocks Ltd, Fyffes           Animal Charity Trust, W F Southall        volunteers and fundraisers.

4                                    Printed with the generous assistance of Emmerson Press 01926 854400
New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018 New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018 New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018 New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018 New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018 New Charter pledges to raise mountain gorilla numbers to 1,000 by 2018
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