Gearing up 4 Gorillas

Tim & Kim travelled to London, on Thursday 15th January to take part in the YoG launch.

Donning gorilla suits they took to the ice along woth professional skaters & celebrities. ‘Gorillas Skating on Thin Ice’ was the theme.

Lets make this year a good one for our gorilla cousins……�

“Gorillas Skating on Thin Ice” is the event taking place today, Thursday 15th january at the Natural Histroy Museum ice rink in London.

The ‘2009 - Year of the Gorilla’ ambassador, Ian Redmond, will officially launch the initiative, designed to raise awareness of the urgent conservation needs of all four gorilla species.

Donning gorilla suits, two trustees from G4G will be joining other ‘gorillas’ on the ice, in the presence of national & international media.

Look out for coverage on the major TV channels…..

With great sadness, we have received confirmation of the death of Ranger Safari Kakule. Safari was in Tshiaberimu with 6 other Rangers last night, when they were attacked without warning. They defended their position, managing to apprehend a Mai Mai officer, but the attack was extremely violent and they were far outnumbered. As they retreated from their position, Safari was fatally hit by the attackers’ gunfire.

Mt Tshiaberimu is to the north of the Mikeno gorilla sector and has an isolated group of gorillas. The Gorilla Organisation (GO) concentrates it’s work in Virunga National Park at Mt Tshiaberimu, working with the local communities and monitoring this important group of gorillas.

Safari, an ICCN ranger, had also received veterinary training and was going to play an important role in caring for the gorillas at Mt. Tshiaberimu.  Emmanuel will be doing his utmost to bring those responsible, to justice.

A tragic and senseless loss for Virunga and the world of gorilla conservation.

Condolensces have been sent to his family and colleagues.

Linda

Chair, G4G

A very ‘Happy Christmas’ to all G4G friends and supporters.

May 2009 bring you all you wish for yourself.

G4G has big plans for 2009, the ‘Year of the Gorilla’.

Watch for the new web site…..

Enjoy the festive break and many thanks for all your support throughout 2008.

See you in the New Year!

Linda & all trustees of G4G

The UN has declared 2009 to be the ‘Year of the Gorilla’.

G4G is working on ideas for events and special activities to mark this coming year.

The new G4G web site will be launched for the New Year so look out for lots more information and ways to help.

Now the rangers are back in the Mikeno gorilla sector, they will need even more support to rebuild their patrol posts and re-equip having lost much to the fighting.

Working through G4G, you can provide equipment for the rangers that cannot be found easily in Africa, such as trucks, mtn bikes, medical supplies and binoculars to name a few.

 With your help, G4G is the UK ‘arm’ of Virunga National Park…….

Let’s have whole great year of fundraising events - across the UK - and make 2009 a very special year.

If you’d like to plan a G4G fundraising event or sponsored activity for this coming year, let us know and we’ll put it on our 2009 online calendar for all to see on the new site. Email linda@g4g.co.uk 

Watch out for the new site!

Linda, G4G

The rangers in Virunga are continuing to undertake the gorilla census after 14 long mths. Both the umba and Kabirizi gorilla families have been found and the individuals are being checked and double checked by their noseprints - each gorilla has a unique noseprint, just the same as our fingerprints.

Rangers hope to move further north before Xmas to find the habituated groups near Jomba. This will hopefully include G4G’s Mambo. He is the son of Mapuwa and should be a strapping 8 or 9 year old blackback now. Everything crossed, in the hope that the Mapuwa family has survived the fighting.

www.gorilla.cd from Virunga National Park is now carrying ‘profiles’ of the various gorilla families. It’s work in progress but gives a fascinating insight into the groups and their dynamics - as gorillas change groups or a silverback leaves to start his own family.

 News of Mambo as it arrives….

Linda, G4G

A true sight for sore eyes - Emmanuel and Innocent find gentle silverback Humba after an hour or so tracking.

He’s busily eating and wondering what all the fuss is about……

At last, after 14 mths, at least the Humba group appears to be safe and well.

Emmanuel talking to the rangers on their return to Rumangabo.

Now the work to find all the gorillas begins…more news as we get it.

Many thanks to all those who have made donations to keep the rangers and their families safe and together through this crisis. You really have made a real difference to these guys and their families. Apart from the practicalities, they know that people from far away have sent donations to help them get through this - and they are very grateful.

All is not over yet and the rangers will have also lost much of their former equipment they had been using, before the conflict escalated.

This return to duty throughout the Mikeno sector is fabulous news! Good luck to them all during the coming days.

Linda

Chair and all at G4G

Emmanuel de Merode, Chief of Virunga, has led 120 rangers back up to Rumangabo main ranger station, after successful negotiations have allowed them back into the Park. But it gets even better - after 14 months of intense conflict, the rangers are also now able to, once more, go into the Mikeno gorilla sector itself. The smiley faces say it all.

The rangers have a wholly neutral stance in any conflict. Their only purpose in being there, is to do their jobs and protect the gorillas and other wildlife of the National Park.

After the first trek today, the Humba gorilla group was found and we think, again, the photo says it all!

There is much work to be done and much support still needed. With your help, G4G can continue apace to provide vehicles, equipment and funds to these dedicated rangers.

What a wonderful day for conservation! Fingers crossed whilst they begin to track and find the other gorilla groups…..

See following photos…and go to www.gorilla.cd to watch videos of the rangers returning to their station.

Drivers Serge and Safari spent 4 very difficult days under heavy artillery fire at Rwindi ranger station, waiting for a gap in the fighting to get the rangers away. Eventually, rangers and families were able to get away to Goma with a UN escort. At last they are safe, even if very hungry and thirsty. Here they are loading up for the journey.

Well done Serge and Safari.

Little Mapima was seized in Goma by the Virunga National Park team. Unfortunately there’s another that’s been seen with a soldier. They are often taken as ‘pets’ - the rest of their family would almost certainly have been killed in the process. Mapima, however, in now with Faustin who has a remarkable way with chimps. He cared for Tongo a few months ago who had been living in a bag and eventually accompanied Tongo to JACK - a chimpanzee sanctuary in the south of DR Congo where wonderful work is being done for these orphaned chimps.

Mapima is now due to go there soon too. In the meantime, she and Faustin spend all day and night together. Four bottles of milk a day and lots of TLC…….