Helping
Saving
Gorillas are beautiful, resilient animals. But poaching and habitat destruction have pushed their populations to the brink of extinction in recent decades.
Our brave founder, Dian Fossey, knew that gorillas need human help to survive the future. Today, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is dedicated to continuing Dian Fossey’s work to protect gorillas while helping and educating the people who live near them.
Dian Fossey:
A Conservation Pioneer
Dian Fossey’s work to study and protect the lives of the wild gorillas in Rwanda touched the hearts of people around the world. Her focus, courage and passion have inspired many conservationists who have followed since. And her legacy lives on today, in the gorilla protection, science, education and people programs of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.
What We Do
Daily
Protection
Scientific
Research
Training
Conservationists
Helping
Communities
Fossey
Fund News
Two Weeks in the Forest: Congolese Students Join Us in Nkuba
Earlier this year, 10 Congolese university students joined us at our base in Nkuba to get first-hand experience in the …
New Study Suggests There May be More Grauer’s Gorillas Than Previously Estimated
A study released this week updates the estimated number of Grauer’s gorillas remaining on the planet. The study, led by …
Conservation Success Leads to New Challenges for Endangered Mountain Gorillas
Scientists from around the world, including at the Fossey Fund, participated in this species-wide survey of parasite infections across the …
Counting Birds to Save Gorillas: How Citizen Scientists Protect Gorilla Habitat
Gorillas will always be nearest to our hearts, of course, but every year on Global Big Day, we turn our …
Follow Our Journey
Smiling because we are halfway through the week! 😁 😬 😝 ⠀
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📸: Veronica Vecellio
Who loves their brother?! 🤚 3 and 6 year old siblings Ingirakamaro and Tabaro are super close and are always hanging out together! They live with their mother, Ubufatanye, in Musilikale's group. ⠀
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📸: James Munyawera
Big news for Grauer’s gorillas. A recent survey done by @theWCS puts the estimated global population number at 6,800 individuals. What does this new number mean? Find out here. (link in bio)
Pato recently became a father for the 2nd time 🎉 in April! There are 3 silverbacks in his group so we will need a genetic test to confirm he's the dad, but we are pretty sure it's Pato, because he is always in very close proximity with Kurudi and the new baby! ❤️ #fathersday⠀
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📸: Samedi Jean Pierre Mucyo
Gorillas have ten fingers and ten toes just like we do! Though our hands and feet are similar, gorillas have opposable thumbs on both their hands and feet! ⠀
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📸: Laban Kayitete
We aren’t happy that the weekend is over too, Ishimwe! ⠀
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📸: Eric Ndayishimiye
Next weekend we will celebrate #fathersday and throughout the week we are going to be celebrating some great gorilla dads!�⠀
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Mafunzo is the proud father of 6 kids 😳 ranging from 1 year old to 5 years old! He is the only adult male in his group and so he has a HUGE responsibility to protect all of them! Fortunately, he is among the largest of the silverbacks we protect! P.S. He's a total softy and loves playing with his kids 😉 ⠀
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📸: Cedric Ujeneza
soft smiles ☺️ ~ for the weekend!!!
We have a question for you! Who's ready for the weekend 🤚? We know that Sakara is! ⠀
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📸: Veronica Vecellio
Gorillas are herbivores. Can you name any of their favorite foods? 🌱 🍃
It often rains in the mountains of Volcanoes National Park. Mountain gorillas have longer and denser hair than lowland gorillas. This helps them cope with the cooler temperatures found at higher elevations 🌧 🦍
📸: Samedi Jean Pierre Mucyo
🚨 CUTENESS OVERLOAD 🚨 Tegereza’s 6-month-old infant is too young to eat solid food, but he is curious about all the options! Too bad he licked a nettle leaf without considering the consequences, poor little guy! Don’t worry, he’s fine! He did spend a while with his cute little tongue out though 😂⠀
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Nettles are among the gorillas' foods, but they have to learn how to fold them to avoid getting stung from the tiny spines.⠀
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📸: Samedi Jean Pierre Mucyo
Rugira and her infant pose for a photo. Rugira’s infant seems to be more interested in the camera than mom! 😊 ⠀
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📸: Didier Abavandimwe
There are two primate species in this photo! Can you guess who they are? The gorilla is obvious, but look more carefully and you will see another one! Can you guess what it is? (HINT: it's the only other primate species living with gorillas in VNP and a species we also protect)⠀
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📸: Laban Kayitete
