Working to save wild gorillas from extinction
The Gorilla Organization was founded in the early 1990s to support the anti-poaching patrols created by the pioneering primatologist Dr. Dian Fossey.
Building on Dr. Fossey’s legacy, we looked into the reasons why wild gorilla poaching was so prevalent in Africa’s national parks. The findings of our research came to form the foundations of our innovative community-led approach to gorilla conservation.
In 2002, we took on our current name, The Gorilla Organization, and continued to expand the scope of our field projects, with a fundraising and administration headquarters in London supporting gorilla conservation field work in Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo.
Our vision for wild gorillas
Our vision is one of harmony, where all gorilla species and subspecies exist sustainably within their protected habitats. It is upheld primarily by local communities, supported by their national governments and endorsed by the wider global community.
Our conservation work
Today, our gorilla conservation work takes on a holistic approach.
As well as supporting ranger patrols, our projects include organic farming, tree planting, gorilla-friendly beekeeping, and conservation education.
Our commitment to conservation through community engagement shapes our work to protect gorillas and their natural habitats in the heart of Africa. Founded in 1989 to continue the pioneering work of Dr. Dian Fossey, our core mission is to ensure the survival of the world’s remaining wild gorilla populations.
We ‘re proud of our success in pioneering community-led conservation. By improving socio-economic conditions in marginalized communities near gorilla habitats, we can help them reduce their reliance on forest resources and empower them to protect the environment from outside threats – threats that include everything from commercial bushmeat hunting to international extractive industries such as mining, oil and logging – thereby safeguarding the gorillas within their natural habitat.
Through these projects we are placing communities at the heart of the solution. By improving their lives and fostering a deeper connection to the environment, we are paving the way for sustainable conservation efforts.
Saving wild gorillas and transforming lives
Our projects continue to go from strength to strength and have transformed the lives of thousands of people, most of them living in some of Africa’s poorest communities.
Our projects have also helped safeguard Africa’s critically endangered gorillas, though our work is by no means done.
To find out more about our vital gorilla conservation work and the projects to build a better future for wild gorillas, please click here.
You can also find out more about wild gorillas, the different species, why gorillas are endangered, and the threat they face by visiting our ‘gorilla facts’ pages.
Dr. Dian Fossey
For more than 20 years, Dr. Dian Fossey lived among the mountain gorillas of the Virunga mountains, at first studying the great apes and then, slowly becoming their friend and protector.
In 1978, Dian Fossey established the Digit Fund, which would lay the foundation for The Gorilla Organization, which continues Dian’s legacy, working tirelessly to safeguard wild gorillas.
You can read more about Dian Fossey and her work by clicking below.
The Gorilla Organization is governed by a board of trustees and has key staff in the UK, Uganda, Rwanda and the DR Congo.
The Gorilla Organization is a Partner member of the UN Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) and the Ape Alliance. The Gorilla Organization is a UK Registered Charity 1117131 and a member of Fundraising Standards Board (FRSB).
You can make a difference!
We are dedicated to safeguarding the future of wild gorillas, but we cannot do it alone. A donation today, no matter how big or small, will support our vital work in protecting the worlds remaining wild gorillas.
There are just over 1,000 mountain gorillas left in the wild. Adopt a gorilla today for just £4 a month and help save a species on the edge of extinction.
We’d love to hear from you in regards to our work in Africa to save the world’s last remaining gorillas.
Keep up-to-date with the latest news, events and campaigns from the Gorilla Organization.