Leadership
Urbain Ngobobo, MSc
DIRECTOR, CONGO PROGRAMS
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Urbain Ngobobo is the Director of the Fossey Fund’s Congo programs. Since he joined the Fossey Fund in 2011, Ngobobo has led the Fossey Fund’s work to create community-based conservation areas for the critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas. The last five years has seen this program grow from 700 square kilometers to more than 2,400 square kilometers of protected forest, which is home to an estimated 200-400 Grauer’s gorillas plus a host of other endangered species.
Ngobobo’s expertise is the research and development of policies and strategies to protect Grauer’s gorillas and their habitat, in partnership with local communities and authorities.
Ngobobo holds a master’s degree in innovation and development. He is completing his Ph.D. in natural resources management and development, with a specialty in ethno-primatology. Before joining the Fossey Fund, he worked with the Zoological Society of London and with the Frankfurt Zoological Society and did field work in several Congolese protected areas, including Virunga, Maiko, Garamba and Upemba National Parks.more