Earth Day is a special reminder to celebrate our incredible planet — its beauty, its biodiversity and the remarkable species that call it home. Among them are gorillas, who play a vital role in keeping forests healthy and sustaining ecosystems that benefit us all.
Earth Day is a global effort that calls attention to the importance of preserving our planet for future generations. It’s a great time to reflect on and learn more about the environmental challenges we all face, and to take any actions we can to help safeguard our natural world.
What we do: Saving gorillas and more
Here at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, our holistic approach to conservation is a mission we are proud to highlight on Earth Day. This includes protecting gorillas and their critical habitats through daily protection, conducting critical science, creating conservationists, and building resilient communities.
For our daily protection of endangered gorillas and their forest habitats, we have 35 teams in the field in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, tracking gorillas every day, removing snares, collecting information that is the basis for important research, and helping to keep critical forests safe.
For nearly 60 years we have been monitoring gorilla families so closely that we now know several generations of their families and hundreds of individual life stories. We are constantly learning about these remarkable creatures, as well as their needs and the threats they face. Click here to discover the journey of the first two gorilla groups that Dian Fossey studied starting in 1967, and where their descendants are today.
What you can do: On Earth Day and every day
- Review and reduce your environmental impact: Simple actions like reducing waste, conserving water, and supporting sustainable businesses can help protect ecosystems that are crucial for wildlife and for the overall environment of our planet.
- Support conservation and environmentally friendly organizations: Donating to organizations like the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is one of the most impactful ways you can contribute. Your donations help fund essential protection efforts, research, education, and community programs.
- Raise awareness: Use your voice to raise awareness about endangered species and the importance of conservation. Social media, blogs, and community discussions are great platforms to use for spreading the message.
- Become a citizen scientist or volunteer: Many conservation organizations offer volunteer opportunities, ranging from beach cleanups to help with scientific research. These are great ways to be a hands-on conservationist!
- Educate yourself and help others: Take the time to learn about wildlife like endangered gorillas, their environment and the challenges they face. Share that knowledge with others to foster a deeper understanding of the importance of wildlife conservation and protecting our planet.
This Earth Day, let’s stand together to protect all of our planet’s precious wildlife and habitats. We can each play a role in safeguarding the future of the ecosystems we all depend on.
Celebrate Earth Day...everyday!
Help us continue our
critical mission.
