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 would need our help to survive. Today, the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is dedicated to continuing and expanding Dian’s work. We protect gorillas and their forests every day, while also helping the people who live near them. Click here to give today.
As the Fossey Fund continues to implement ways to reduce our carbon footprint and ensure donations are being directed to our mission and providing the greatest impact, we have made the necessary decision to discontinue the production and distribution of the annual calendar. We hope you will continue to enjoy seeing and learning more about the gorillas and our community work via our website, or Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts. Thank you.
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 Gorilla
Protection
Scientific
Research
Training
Conservationists
Helping
Communities
Get the latest gorilla news in your inbox.
Fossey
Fund News:
From the field
Our Ellen DeGeneres Campus: Celebrating one year in our favorite place
We have much to celebrate as we reach the first anniversary of our incredible Ellen DeGeneres Campus in Rwanda, which …
Golden monkeys are seasonal breeders
Learning more about golden monkey births Among mammals, food availability is often a crucial driver of female reproductive strategies and …
The mountain gorilla groups: A peek from the inside – Titus’ group
This is the third in a series of articles presented by the Fossey Fund’s Gorilla Program Senior Advisor Veronica Vecellio, …
Dian Fossey legacy empowers women
Our founder and one of the most well-known female scientists of our time – Dr. Dian Fossey – would have …
Follow Our Journey
Today is silverback Inshuti’s 35th birthday! Inshuti is a lone silverback, meaning that he doesn’t have a group. He is one of the oldest silverbacks that we monitor and has lived alone for many years. He is one of a kind and gives us great insight into gorilla social behavior. If you’d like to read more about Inshuti and his life follow the link!
https://gorillafund.org/dian-fossey/gorilla-trackers-meet-lone-silverback-inshuti/
Macibiri loves to swing! 😊
📸: James Munyawera
Fun Fact Friday! Gorillas have black teeth because of the tannins in their diet.
Our kitchen gardens are changing lives! "We used to eat the same foods all the time because that's what we could grow in this area: potatoes, beans, and sweet potatoes. Having a kitchen garden, on the other hand, changed our lives." - Beatrice Nyirampfikije, local community member.
Over 100 families now have access to diverse, nutritious veggies. Ex-poachers and low-income families are seeing positive impacts on health and income.
📸: Cedric Ujeneza
Never a dull moment in Kureba’s group 🦍 with three little ones running around! Kabeho, Mubyeyi, and Imbaduko (2, 2, and 1 years old) keep each other entertained as the best of playmates 🤪 #GorillaGroup #Playtime #Infants
📸: Cedric Ujeneza
Time flies! It’s already been a year since we opened the doors to our Ellen Campus. To celebrate, we wanted to share some of our staff’s favorite spots from around the campus. From breathtaking mountain views to an up-close look at the poop lab 👀💩you won’t want to miss these hidden gems. Join us in celebrating! 🎉👏
One year in and we're loving every minute at our brand-new Ellen DeGeneres Campus in Rwanda! Over 25,000 visitors have explored our exhibits, theater, classrooms, and stunning nature trails. Our team is thrilled to call this place home. Join us in celebrating this milestone and check out our staff's favorite spots on campus! (Link in bio for full story)
Azizi Life is a fair-trade organization that partners with Rwandan artisans to create beautiful handcrafted designs and they run our on-site gift shop. Our campus partnership enabled a 15% increase in work opportunities for their 727 artisans, 90% of whom are female. Through sales proceeds, Azizi Life donates to projects that improve adult literacy and provide water filters and fuel-efficient stoves for community members. We hope you will join us in celebrating 1 year at our campus and the continued great work of @azizilife
P.S. Want to support Azizi Life? You can purchase their hand-made baskets online at store.gorillafund.org or by visiting the link in our bio.
As we celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the opening of our new campus, we're also celebrating a year of delicious meals, thanks to our amazing partners at Food&Stuff! Over the past year, they've served over 14,000 meals on the campus, including more than 3,500 to local students who visited. If you are visiting the campus soon, make sure to stop by and grab a snack and a coffee at our Gorilla Cafe. @foodandstuffrw
Grauer’s gorillas, which are only found in the Congo Basin, have lost more than 60% of their population over the last two decades. Why? Because unlike mountain gorillas in Rwanda most of these gorillas live outside of protected areas. So, we were excited to double our Grauer’s gorilla protection area last year! #conservation #gorillas #congo
BIG NEWS from Musilikale's Group! Isaro welcomes a new baby boy, born on Dian's 91st birthday. 24 gorillas strong and growing! Mom and baby are doing great, with the little one already showing an active and curious nature. Stay tuned for more updates on Isaro and her growing family #GorillaFamily #NewBorn #MusilikaleGroup
📸: James Munyawera
Sleeping in on Sunday like... 😴🛌 #NoAlarmsAllowed #WeekendVibes #Zzzzzz
📸: Cedric Ujeneza
It’s playtime in Pablo’s group!
📸: James Munyawera
Fun Fact Friday: Did you know that Europeans did not “discover” mountain gorillas until 1902?
📸: Cedric Ujeneza
