Gorilla runners get set for London Marathon

The time has come: On your marks, get set, go-rilla!

Lots of people will go the extra mile for gorillas – but only a select few are willing to go 26 miles for the critically-endangered great apes.

This weekend, Team Gorilla will be participating in the 2017 Virgin Money London Marathon, raising money for the Gorilla Organization’s projects in Africa, while also bringing the message of gorilla conservation to the streets of the UK capital.

The four members of Team Gorilla include ‘Mr Gorilla’, who has pledged to not merely complete the marathon but to go the distance knuckle-walking like a silverback. Additionally, one runner will have already clocked up hundreds of miles by the time he crosses the start line in London, having run all the way from Bradford to the capital.

Celebrating the occasion, Keith Leon, Senior Fundraising Executive at the Gorilla Organization said: “Every year, we are amazed by the efforts our supporters will go to in order to help gorillas – and this year is no exception.

“The money raised by the four members of Team Gorilla will go where it is needed the most, helping support vitally-important conservation projects in Africa. What’s more, by running the course in their gorilla suits, they will help raise awareness of the perilous plight of gorillas in the wild.”

Follow our Gorilla Runners through the Gorilla Organization’s social media channels.