How you can help gorillas in an increasingly virtual world

At Gorilla Doctors, we regularly report on our work helping ill and injured mountain and Grauer’s gorillas with our hands-on veterinary care. But as you know, gorillas help one another all the time, and sometimes, even help Gorilla Doctors! Keep reading to learn more and discover different ways you can get involved and lend Gorilla Doctors a helping hand right from your computer, tablet or phone.

Gorilla Doctors’ spend hours monitoring the health of gorilla family groups and routinely observe their social lives while conducting visual health checks. Gorillas groom one another (see video), play together, and younger members of the group (sub-adults) will often help out by carrying infants.

In one extraordinary story of gorillas helping Gorilla Doctors, a dominant silverback in Virunga National Park ‘protected’ Dr. Eddy during an intervention in 2017. While Dr. Eddy was performing a snare removal on an infant, agitated members of the infant’s family kept charging at Dr. Eddy, ICCN trackers and the intervention protection team until the lead silverback, Bukima, stood between Dr. Eddy and the other gorillas – almost as if the silverback knew Dr. Eddy was there to help! Read the full story.

Dr. Eddy removes a snare from an infant mountain gorilla whilee silverback Bukima (background) observes. Virunga National Park, DRC, 2017. © Gorilla Doctors

How you can help

1) Shop on Amazon Smile

If the image of an infant mountain gorilla ‘laughing’ makes you a smile then supporting Gorilla Doctors through Amazon Smile might just be for you. When you shop on smile.amazon.com choose Mgvp, Inc* our 501(c)(3) registered name with the IRS. Amazon will then donate 0.5% of your purchase to Gorilla Doctors! *MGVP stands for Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project

Infant mountain gorilla playing on back of silverback. Mishaya group, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, 2020. Photo © Skyler Bishop for Gorilla Doctors

2) Host a Facebook Fundraiser

Fundraisers on Facebook are one of the easiest ways to support Gorilla Doctors, not only by raising funds but also by raising awareness about our organization and mission when you introduce your network of friends to Gorilla Doctors. Many of our followers have hosted fundraisers over the past few years, generating thousands of dollars for Gorilla Doctors. Learn more and start a fundraiser.

3) Corporate Matching

Does your company have an employee donation matching program? If you aren’t sure, just ask the HR department. Company matching gifts can be a powerful way to amplify the impact of your generosity. Gorilla Doctors is a participating charity on Benevity, a corporate matching portal that your company may already be using – check it out!

4) Sign up for our Monthly Newsletter

Our newsletter brings all the latest information about Gorilla Doctors right to your Inbox. We never share your information and won’t flood your email except with amazing gorilla photos and stories from the field. Sign up today.

5) Follow us on Social Media

If you aren’t already, our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts are another great way to stay up to date on the latest news from Gorilla Doctors and join a growing community of fellow gorilla fans.

6) Shop our Official Logo Wear

Want to advertise your Gorilla Doctors love? Shop our branded merchandise on Bonfire and we receive a portion of each purchase. Shop Now.

As always, we are incredibly grateful for your engagement and support, and if you have other ideas, please contact us, we’d love to hear from you!