Year of the Gorilla

AWF Celebrates 30 years of mountain gorilla conservation throughout 2009.

As part of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, 2009 has been named Year of the Gorilla (Yo G). This unique campaign will support ongoing actions to protect gorilla habitat. Joining with the official sponsors of YoG, AWF and other partners throughout the conservation community will work to fund and train rangers, raise awareness about gorilla conservation, help develop ecotourism and other alternative sources of income for people living near gorilla habitat, and support scientific research.

About Mountain Gorillas

Few animals have sparked the imagination of man as much as the gorilla, the largest of the living primates. Most gorillas live in inaccessible regions in various dense forests in tropical Africa, and one species, the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei), was not even known to science until 1902.

The mountain gorilla has a robust build with long, muscular arms, a massive chest, and broad hands and feet. It is the hairiest race of gorillas; its long, thick black hair insulates it from the cold of living at high elevations.

Although strong and powerful, gorillas are generally gentle and shy. They live in groups of 2-40 individuals, averaging about 11. Groups are led by a dominant male, the silverback, named for the silvery gray hairs that grow when the male matures. The silverback serves as the chief leader and protector of the group, to whom all group members defer. He decides when and where to forage, rest and sleep, arbitrates disputes among his family members and protects them from rival silverbacks or human predators.

30 Years of Protecting Mountain Gorillas in the Wild

More than three decades ago, AWF launched its Mountain Gorilla Project in Rwanda, bringing new resources and public attention to the plight of the endangered mountain gorilla. Prior to that, AWF had provided grants to gorilla researcher Dian Fossey and others. The original Mountain Gorilla Project has since evolved into the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP), a strategic coalition spearheaded by AWF, and joined by Fauna & Flora International and the World Wide Fund for Nature.

Read about IGCP's recent achievements

Did You Know?

There are only about 700 mountain gorillas left in the world. Humans and gorillas are 98% genetically identical. Silverback gorillas can weigh 50-100 pounds more - and are about 10 times stronger - than the biggest American football players. When the group is attacked by humans, leopards, or other gorillas, the silverback will protect them even at the cost of his own life. Learn about mountain gorillas.

The long-term presence of AWF and its partners has allowed the mountain gorilla population to stabilize and even gain ground. But it has yet to change this reality: mountain gorillas are still critically endangered. They face many threats, including habitat destruction, poaching, hunting and disease. ‘We must not be complacent. The slow rate of reproduction among mountain gorillas makes the challenge of keeping these precious creatures alive ever so great,’ says Dr. Patrick Bergin, AWF’s President and CEO. ‘The population is still extremely fragile and we must be ever vigilant in our efforts to protect this charismatic great ape.’