About Mountain Gorillas

The Cincinnati Gorilla Run is brought to you by The Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund

Please check out our website at saveAgorilla.org for more information.

The Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund (MGCF) is dedicated to the conservation and protection of the highly endangered mountain gorillas in Africa, their habitat, and working with the people around the National Parks.

The discovery of the Mountain Gorillas took place in the Virunga Mountains, on October 17th, 1902, by Captain Robert von Beringe. In celebration of this event and to promote the preservation of the Mountain Gorillas, the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund (MGCF) is undertaking several projects to achieve the goal of saving these gorillas from extinction. The Current Projects section gives a brief description of eight of these projects. The "Preservation through Visualization" portion of this project promotes the number one task set before the MGCF.

In 1987, only 248 Mountain Gorillas lived in the wild. Because of projects coordinated by the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund, there are now about 880 living in the wild. The Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund is dedicated to ensuring the future of the Mountain Gorillas of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. By providing a partnership of business, wildlife conservation, and community development, MGCF addresses the single biggest challenge facing preservation of these animals today; how do we help communities in developing areas grow and prosper without destroying precious habitat or the Mountain Gorillas, who call it home.

President and founder of the MGCF, Ruth Morris Keesling is celebrating 28 years of protecting the highly endangered mountain gorillas after Dian Fossey murder in 1985. At the time of Ms. Fossey's death there were only 248 known mountain gorillas left in the world. Because of projects managed by the MGCF we can today estimate there are about 880 alive in the jungles of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Working closely with the Rwandan and Ugandan governments, MGCF has developed a multi-faceted approach to meeting the needs of both gorillas and humans through the following projects:

Teacher Training Guide:
Sister School Relationship Program
Construction of Protected Disposal Pits
Domestic Guinea Fowl Husbandry
Veterinary Project

Please check out our website at saveAgorilla.org for more information.