‘Gearing Up 4 Gorillas’ (G4G) is the only UK charity that focuses 100% on the protection of the critically endangered mountain gorilla in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).

G4G believes the best way to do this is through:
• supporting the rangers of the Congolese Institute of Nature Conservation (ICCN) whose job it is to protect the gorillas by providing much needed equipment, vehicles, monthly salaries, renovated patrol posts and through supporting their dependent families. The rangers of ICCN have rarely been paid, existing in many instances on $1 a day from the UN, intended as a bonus for working in such dangerous areas. Vehicles, uniform, radios and basic equipment are in very short supply.

• by assisting the work of the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) based in Rwanda, that treats those gorillas needing attention in the field, on a last resort basis and that cares for orphaned gorillas or those confiscated from gorilla traffickers;

• by undertaking education and awareness work both in eastern DR Congo and here in the UK

G4G Chair, Linda Nunn, has visited the rangers in DR Congo three times now and is truly humbled by the work of the rangers. “They are the most committed, dedicated and amazingly brave guys I have ever met”, she states. “They are so proud of their work and are genuinely attached to the gorillas, knowing all of the habituated individuals by name and nose print. They track them all daily and are elated at a new birth or to see youngsters rolling around playing. The rangers have suffered such losses themselves over the years and continue to do so, but they are fiercely adamant that they will continue to do all they can to protect their beloved gorillas. I have nothing but complete admiration for them”

2007, however, has been the worst year for mountain gorillas in eastern DR Congo for over 30 years. For decades, different rebel militia groups and roaming poachers have made the rangers’ work a very dangerous one, with over 100 rangers losing their lives in the line of duty in just the last 10 years.

In January 2007, two solitary silverback gorillas were shot and eaten by rebels, whilst in June, a female was lured into a clearing with bananas and shot, execution style, in the back of the head, leaving a two month old infant clinging to her body.  The orphan ‘Kabila’ was very young to be without its mother but after surviving a serious bout of pneumonia, has survived to date against the odds.

(The orphan Kabila)

Shockwaves then spread around the world as five members of the much loved Rugendo family were massacred in July, again leaving a four month old female gorilla infant ‘Ndeze’, orphaned. Ndeze and her mother Safari, had been the subject of newspaper articles celebrating the birth. Some missing gorillas have since been found dead and some still unaccounted for. 2007 has seen 10 gorillas killed, 2 orphaned and 2 still missing.

Both the DRC orphans are being cared for at a house in Goma and are under the care of the vets from MGVP.

Against the backdrop of all this tragedy however, optimism reigns within the ranks of G4G. What is crucially important is the consistency of support throughout good times and bad for the rangers and the gorillas.

(Ndeze - 8months old)

G4G has plans to support both….
In conjunction with The Murry Foundation, G4G aspires to build a new gorilla sanctuary in Goma. There needs to be several distinct buildings for shelter / night housing with outside enclosures for gorillas of different ages and sexes. A quarantine area is also crucial and likewise new solid perimeter walls with electric fencing.

(July 2007, Four highly endangered mountain gorillas,a silverback and three females have been shot and killed in the Mikeno sector of Virunga National Park in eastern Demorati Rep.of Congo)

Staff needs include in/out showering facilities to minimize the risk of cross-infection from humans to gorillas and eco-friendly water catchment, treatment and solar power would be ideal. Thorough cleansing, washing and drying facilities are vital as are Internet and communications access. A substantial part of the running costs include the food requirements of the gorillas both purchased and collected and delivered from the forest. This can amount to around £8,000 per year for 4 to 6 gorillas of different ages. Total construction and annual running costs are each estimated at £60,000.

Secondly, G4G has two Hilux trucks ready to send out for the rangers, along with supplies of binoculars, mtn bikes and other basic equipment. Monthly salaries, medical costs together with vehicle maintenance and fuel costs are covered by a £500 monthly donation raised through various regular events. This supports just 5 of the Mikeno gorilla sector rangers. With Support of The Murry Foundation, G4G is now able to support 20 rangers in this way.

Thirdly, the ranger patrol posts of Bikenge, Bukima and Jomba are all in urgent need of refurbishment to provide sleeping quarters, communications/IT room, training/meeting room, medical area and the essential clean, running water. The main patrol centre at Rumangabo was once obviously a grand building from the Belgian Colonial years. It too, requires many improvements.

linda@g4g.co.uk                                                                www.g4g.co.uk

• G4G is a UK charity number: 1111663, registered since 2005.
Trustees are all in full time work and hence G4G activities are all undertaken by volunteers, evenings and weekends

• There are only around 700 mountain gorillas surviving in the world today. Half are found at Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Park in Uganda and half live close by in the Virunga massif area, straddling eastern DR Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. In the latter two countries peace and relative security in recent years has led to the increase in mountain gorilla ‘eco tourism’ with the protection of the gorilla taking a high priority by well trained, equipped ranger services.

• In eastern DR Congo however, the story is quite different. After decades of war, insecurity, corruption and lawlessness, many Congolese institutions are bankrupt and/or unable to function adequately. The rangers of ICCN have rarely been paid, existing in many instances on $1 a day from the UN, intended as a bonus for working in such dangerous areas. Vehicles, uniform, radios and basic equipment are in very short supply. Ranger training ceased many years ago and apart from one elite ranger force of some 49 rangers trained to a high standard in 2006, many more still require the basics of paramilitary, tracking, wildlife ID and interrogation training.

• Latest
In September, a rebel general and the Congolese army have between them seized the entire Mikeno gorilla sector. It is far too dangerous for the rangers to even try and enter the forest so the mountain gorillas of eastern DR Congo have been completely unprotected for almost three months now.

• (latest on threats to gorillas)
A huge and growing threat to the gorillas already diminishing forest habitat, is from charcoal burners. Illegal and indiscriminate felling goes on apace to make charcoal for the burgeoning population in Goma, the city on the southern most tip of Virunga National Park. Rangers had been moving the charcoal burners on and destroying their fires and equipment. The June killing was unlikely to have been poachers or traffickers as the baby was left behind; more likely a chilling warning to rangers by charcoal burners to leave their activities alone.