Gearing up 4 Gorillas

It has been reported that a peace deal has been signed by all the warring factions within Virunga National Park. If this holds, then the rangers may soon be able to get back into the forest and start looking for the gorillas. Fingers crossed.

Thank you to Celia M who gave a donation to help look ater the orphans in Goma and to Mrs J who has sent G4G a very generous cheque to help the rangers. As they go back into the forest, the guys will need a lot of support as much of their equipment was stolen when the fighting began. They hugely appreciate all the help that you and G4G send them - without it, their jobs would be nigh on impossible.

A ‘thank you’ too, to Elizabeth B who is raising funds on the www.justgiving.com site for G4G. Anyone who wants to raise money through a sponsored event / activity can choose G4G on the www.justgiving.com site, describe what you’re doing and hey presto, your supporters donate online. The gift aid is automatically claimed for G4G too! It’s so easy,,,,,,thank you Elizabeth.

37 pairs of binoculars have now arrived in Goma for the rangers from maushausoptiks via G4G. They’re already in use! Thank you Simon - the rangers can now see trouble before they walk into it. The binoculars will be of enormous help.

If anyone has ideas to help or wants any further information on how to help G4G, the rangers and mountain gorillas, do contact me: linda@g4g.co.uk

Linda
Chair, G4G

Vumilia (patient) and Mapendo (love0 were the two eastern lowland gorillas seized from poachers by the UN. They were being looked after at Mutsora in the north of the park. Unfortunately, the larger of the two, Vumilia, died quite suddenly in the early hours of this Sunday just gone - no-one knows quite why.
Mapendo is now in Goma where the vets can keep a closer eye on her, but she seems fairly strong so far, fingers crossed.

G4G helped out with £50 ($100) for emergency assistance for the little ones and has heard that it paid to get two vets across the border & fuel for transport. Not a lot maybe, but every little helps, particularly in an emergency.
Your generous donations allow funds to be sent like this - every penny goes to DR Congo to help the rangers / gorillas - thank you!
Linda & G4G trustees

Kabila and Ndeze mtn gorilla orphans are doing well after suffering bouts of bad tummies (I have tried to upload some photos but need some teccy help as not working - sorry!) They are playing in the garden in Goma and keeping Richard, one of their carers, very busy!

On a very sad note, G4G has just heard that two young eastern lowland gorilla youngsters have been confiscated by MONUC (the UN Force out there). They are now at a ranger station in the north of the park being cared for by Godefroid Wambale, ranger in charge. Eastern lowland gorillas are found to the west of the mtn gorilla areas and have suffered terribly from war & poaching in past years - and so it continues….One has bad machete wounds, whilst the second seems OK physically - so far. A Mtn Gorilla vet is hopefully going to fly up & see what help he can give these youngsters. No arrests were made, although the rangers are trying to track down the poachers. The babes parents have almost certainly been killed for bushmeat & these two were destined for the market too.
More news as we get it.
Linda
Chair, G4G