Fauna and Flora International (FFI) have an urgent funding appeal at the moment.

It’s to stop the crisis in Kanyama in the Congo Basin in Africa.  The area has been hit hard by poachers.  Gorillas drifting outside the Maiko National Park are being hunted. Not much could be done to stop it.

The Maiko National Park is a carbon sink.  It helps to fight climate change, and regular local climate patterns 

A huge portion of the habitat of the Grauer gorilla lies outside the boundaries of the national parks. These forest areas are vulnerable to deforestation. 

BUT change has happened! 

Thanks to a recent change in legislation, FFI have the opportunity to formally protect the forest area by Local Community Forest Concession Kanyama.  The forest will be managed by the local community.  Teams of community rangers will patrol it, supported by FFI.

And Fauna and Flora International think this change – in legislation – could mean the turning point for the Grauer gorilla.  The Grauer gorilla is endemic to the area. If they are lost from the DRC, then they are lost forever.

60% of the beautiful Grauer gorilla has been lost in just 25 years.  They have been hunted and eaten.  Their homes have been eradicated by illegal mining agricultural conversion and logging.  They risk infection from human-bourne diseases.  They are critically endangered (IUCN Red List). 

Find out more about this appeal here
Please donate here
image credit: Lindsey/Adobe Stock

FFI want to act FAST

They want to make the most of the opportunity this change in legislation has given them.

Now, they need donations.  

The donations are essential to train and equip local people to become effective community rangers.  They can then go into the field, monitoring gorilla movements, patrolling the forests and removing threats.

What’s more, a very generous donor has agreed to increase every single donation made to the project by 400% until £88,963 has been raised.

Donations will pay for:

• Community rangers and training
• Urgent supplies and equipment
• The establishment of a protected area
• Community outreach and awareness raising
• Surveying and mapping gorilla habitat
• Personnel and operations

Illegal mining businesses are increasing their interest in the forests day by day so the sooner we can get the rangers out there protecting it, the better.  The mining businesses will destroy the habitat the gorillas need and an influx of poachers will arrive. 

The Congo peafowl (the national bird of the DRC) and the endangered Opaki are also endemic to the Congo basin.  It’s also home to the Ground pangolin. 

Please help FFI help the gorillas and other species