The Year of the Gorilla 2009 and The Green Wave

Gorillas and the forests they live in are under pressure from all sides. Most of the threats are manmade – hunting, habitat loss, mining and war – and some are natural – such as diseases like Ebola. A combination of these threats, if left unmitigated, is a recipe for extinction and will lead to the disappearance of any viable gorilla populations from the wild within only a few decades – less than a gorilla lifetime. Beyond being priceless in their own right, gorillas also play a key role in their forest ecosystem. As many plants can only germinate after being eaten by gorillas and other large mammals, e.g. elephants, gorillas can be seen as ‘gardeners of the forest’. The forests they help maintain are in turn among the richest ecosystems in the world and home to myriads of other life forms. Humans also existentially depend on the services provide by forests, such as the provision of clean water and clean air. Protecting gorillas is protecting their forest homes and the many life-forms, including us, that depend on them. Time, meanwhile, is not on our side.

This is why the UNEP Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the UNEP/UNESCO Great Ape Survival Partnership (GRASP) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) have jointly declared 2009 the Year of the Gorilla. This global campaign raises awareness and educates the public about gorillas, their habitat and the threats to both, while at the same time raising funds for tangible on-the-ground conservation work. Through mutual support, the Green Wave and the Year of the Gorilla 2009 seek to strengthen their educational outreach, especially to children and youth around the world, and to mobilize as many people as possible for activities to halt the decline of biodiversity, e.g. by raising awareness or funds for gorilla conservation or by taking part in a Green Wave tree-planting campaign.

Please go to http://www.yog2009.org to find out more about the Year of the Gorilla. And don’t forget to tell a friend!