With gorilla adoption, the animals are not removed from the wild to be taken home like pets by those who adopt them. Gorillas are wild animals and they cannot be domesticated. Adopting a gorilla is symbolic, it means giving funds that are directed towards protecting the lives of gorillas in the wild. Gorillas are adopted through the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Organization that is dedicated to gorilla conservation. Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is the world’s largest and longest-running organization for gorilla conservation.
The organization is dedicated to the conservation of gorillas through protecting gorilla families, study how they live, and they also make an effort to teach local communities and future leaders to do the same.
How did gorilla adoption come about?
The Dian Fossey Fund originated from 1967 when American primatologist Dian Fossey founded the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda’s Virunga Mountains which is today Volcanoes National park to protect and study the mountain gorillas.
The move to save these species was carried on even after the death of Dian Fossey in 1985 growing into an internationally recognized organization that is dedicated to saving gorillas and helping people around the gorilla community.
What is involved in adopting a gorilla?
According to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, when you adopt a gorilla you or your gift recipient will immediately receive the following packages via email
• A personalized, ready-to-display adoption certificate with a full-color color photo of the gorilla you have adopted
• A profile with beautiful images of your gorilla along with detailed information from the field
• A digital subscription to the Gorilla journal, the Fossey Fund’s quarterly newsletter
• A special video of your adopted gorilla, and a gorilla coloring page.
The organization states that when people adopt gorillas symbolically, through the Fund, you help ensure that they are protected together with their wildness for the generation to come.
The gorillas that are monitored and protected everyday are truly wild and they are not under captivity in a sanctuary. However, today the gorilla habitat is also shared with some humans. This means that there is some effort that needs to be taken to ensure that the two live in harmony without posing any threat to the existence of mountain gorillas.
Why should you adopt a gorilla?
According to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund organization, the experts in saving, conservation only happens when individuals join with organizations to protect and save vulnerable species so that we can all thrive together.
The intensive gorilla protection program that began 51 years ago with Dian Fossey herself has helped mountain gorillas to reach a historic milestone. Their number has steadily increased in the past 30 years to about 1,000 that are living in the wild today.
However, if the conservation efforts are not upheld and intensified, the status of mountain gorillas could easily change due to poaching, habitat loss, disease, climate change and several other threats.
Through gorilla adoption, you help ensure that these endangered species remain protected and you can do this from anywhere on the planet. Gorilla adoption makes a direct significant impact in the lives of these endangered animals as well as the communities that live around them.
Every donation saves a gorilla and changes lives and the recipient of such funds work hard to ensure that every dollar received to its fullest potential to conserve the endangered wildlife and their habitat.
About mountain gorillas
There are about 1,000 mountain gorillas in the wild today living in just two isolated locations though within the same region in the whole world. The two regions are; Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda and the Virunga Mountains that consist three different national parks with gorillas including Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Virunga National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda.
Mountain gorillas live in high-altitude montane bamboo forests with bamboo shoots and leave acting as the main foodstuff for the gorillas.
mountain gorillas live in groups or troops of between 15-35 individuals comprised of several females and young ones under the leadership of one dominant male known as a silverback.
Gorillas are the largest living primates and they share 98% of the human DNA.
gorilla tourism through gorilla safaris and gorilla tours has greatly contributed and boosted the development of the tourism sectors of Rwanda, Uganda and Congo and the sector is currently the highest foreign exchange earner in both Uganda and Rwanda. This has resulted in economic growth in these countries through the creation of jobs, infrastructure development in terms of roads, hotels, and lodges among others.
Related Tours
3 Days Uganda Gorilla Tour
Book a 3 Days Uganda gorilla trekking tour to Bwindi Impenetrable forest park home to half of the world’s mountain gorillas. The forest is the first center for Uganda gorilla safaris having over 15 gorilla families habituated for trekking. Bwindi is also home to 120 species of mammals, 348 species of birds, 220 species of butterflies, 27 species of frogs, chameleons, geckos, and many endangered species.Read More
3 Days Murchison Falls Np Tour
3 Days Murchison falls wildlife tour to for fantastic game viewing in search for African lion, herds of Elephant, Buffaloes, Giraffes, Antelopes, etc, and boat cruise to the bottom of the falls to see Hippos & huge crocodiles.Read More
3 Days Tour to Semuliki National park
Join a 3 Days Uganda tour to Semuliki valley national park fo game viewing, bird watching and visiting the hot springs. The park is one of Uganda’s least visited parks which give travelers with an off beaten kind of experience. Expect to see many birds and wildlife less exploited. Read More
7 Days Uganda Safari
Join a 7 Days Uganda Safari for game viewing and boat cruising at Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale forest and Mountain gorilla watching in Bwindi Impenetrable forest national park. You will also trek golden monkeys in Mgahinga gorilla national park as well as visiting various conservation projects in Bwindi and Mgahinga gorilla national parks. Read More
3 Days Rwanda Double Gorilla Trek
The 3 Days double gorilla trek in Rwanda offers travelers exceptional gorilla encounters in Volcanoes national park. The two involve trekking gorilla two times rewarding travelers with extended time with the gentle giants in the jungle. The tour starts and ends in Kigali Rwanda. Read More
