In the misty mountains of Uganda, some of the world’s last mountain gorillas are hanging on to survival. Only 1,063 remain. Without the people protecting them every day, they could disappear forever.
Viva! UK has teamed up with Viva! Uganda to bring its fight for animals to the heart of Africa. Together, we are helping protect Bwindi’s mountain gorillas by supporting the frontline teams and communities who work every day to keep them safe.
Gorillas on the brink
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, home to 128 mammal species alone – from forest elephants and chimpanzees to blue monkeys, vervet monkeys and black-and-white colobus monkeys. Among them lives one of our closest relatives: the mountain gorilla, sharing 98.3 per cent of our DNA. Intelligent, social and deeply emotional, mountain gorillas are a vital part of this rich forest ecosystem.
Yet these gentle giants are still critically endangered. Since their discovery by the outside world, mountain gorillas have faced poaching, war, deforestation and the steady loss of their habitat to human encroachment. Their numbers fell to just 254 in 1981, and even today the global population is only around 1,063. Although conservation efforts have helped numbers slowly recover, the species remains in real danger.
Recovery is slow because mountain gorillas reproduce slowly. Like humans, they have a nine-month pregnancy and usually give birth to just one baby every four years. Young gorillas depend on their mothers for years, and family bonds are strong and lasting. Every life matters.
With such a small population, even the loss of a single gorilla can have serious consequences – especially if that gorilla is a leading silverback, whose death can leave a group vulnerable and unstable.
That is why Viva! is working to protect mountain gorillas by supporting the people and communities who live alongside them. Through education, awareness and frontline conservation support, we are helping create a safer future for gorillas, their forest home and the people who depend on it.
Protecting gorillas on the front line
The courage of those who work to protect mountain gorillas is truly heroic. Rangers, trackers, conservation teams and local communities stand on the front line each day, helping to keep these remarkable animals safe. Their work is about more than protecting a species – it is about defending the balance of nature and recognising our shared duty to protect life.
“The people protecting mountain gorillas are true heroes. Their courage, compassion and determination help give these remarkable animals a future. We owe them our deepest thanks — and all the support we can give.”
– Juliet Gellatley, Founder of Viva! UK and Viva! Uganda
How Viva! protects gorillas by empowering people
Mountain gorillas can only be protected if the people defending them have the support they need.
We work with HUGO volunteers, gorilla trackers and wildlife rangers on the front line of gorilla conservation. Their work helps prevent conflict between people and gorillas, monitor gorilla health, protect forest habitats and support conservation efforts on the ground, all to keep these remarkable animals safe.
Viva! UK and Viva! Uganda created Gorilla Defenders to support them with the equipment, training, education and public awareness needed to make a real difference.
How we help:
- Providing essential field equipment
- Delivering practical training
- Supporting education and awareness in local communities
- Raising public support through events such as the Great Gorilla Run
By investing in people, we strengthen gorilla protection, support communities living alongside wildlife and help ensure mountain gorillas can survive and thrive.
Mission accomplished: the power of your support
The first phase of Gorilla Defenders is complete! Together, we have equipped an entire force of community conservation heroes and given gorillas a safer future.
We are excited to announce that the HUGO Volunteer Equipment Project is now 100 per cent complete and was a huge success! Thanks to your incredible generosity, we raised £32,000, allowing us to fully equip all 160 HUGO volunteers with the tools they need to protect Uganda’s endangered mountain gorillas:
- Protective gear including insulating jackets, raincoats, rainproof trousers and gumboots
- Safety and preventative materials including surgical gloves and first aid kits
- Field and tracking equipment including water bottles, torches, tents and backpacks
- Stationery including printers, pens and tracking journals
Your donations ensured that every HUGO volunteer received high-quality, durable equipment designed to keep them safe, motivated, and effective in the field.
This achievement is a powerful reminder of what compassionate and committed people can accomplish together. And it’s only the beginning…
Impact on the ground
The equipment has been distributed directly to all 160 HUGOs, who were overjoyed to be recognised, supported, and empowered. With your help, these dedicated volunteers can patrol safely, document wildlife more effectively, and reduce human–gorilla conflict across the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest sectors, including Rushaga, Buhoma, Nkuringo, Ruhija, and Mugahinga.
Your support has strengthened both gorilla conservation and the welfare of the local guardians who protect them.
“I am overjoyed. I thank you. Please send my gracious appreciation to the UK.” – Joseph
“This makes me happy; all your help is very well received.” – David
“I will now be warm when I meet my fellow gorillas. Their conservation is very important to me.” – George
Our future aims
Viva! is embarking on the next powerful phase of the Gorilla Defenders campaign by supporting the people and communities at the heart of gorilla conservation.
Equipping the trackers
Viva! aims to equip the 89 gorilla trackers working with the Uganda Wildlife Authority across the Bwindi-Mgahinga Conservation Area.
These trackers spend long hours — sometimes days — deep in the forest, locating and monitoring gorilla families. They collect vital information about gorilla health and numbers, identify threats and act as an essential link between gorillas, veterinarians, researchers and rangers.
By providing protective clothing, camping gear, communication devices and data-collection tools, we can strengthen daily monitoring, improve health surveillance and help protect gorillas more effectively.
Training HUGO volunteers
Viva! also aims to expand training for HUGO volunteers, who play a key role in protecting both gorillas and local communities.
Training helps volunteers build skills in gorilla behaviour, wildlife tracking, conflict prevention, rapid response, data collection and community engagement. Well-trained HUGO teams are better able to prevent crop raiding, reduce harm to wildlife and work closely with the Uganda Wildlife Authority to protect gorillas while supporting local livelihoods.
Education and awareness — cultivating conservation champions
Viva! Uganda’s Gorilla Defenders campaign also places strong emphasis on education and awareness to inspire the next generation of conservation leaders.
By working with schools, universities and community institutions, we aim to build understanding, empathy and active involvement in wildlife protection — especially for Uganda’s critically endangered mountain gorillas. Through education, we can help create lasting support for conservation and empower more people to become champions for gorillas and their forest home.
Viva!’s Great Gorilla Run
To help sustain and grow this work, Viva! Uganda hosts the annual Great Gorilla Run.
This event marks the creation of Bwindi as a national park and brings together runners, students and supporters to raise funds and awareness for gorilla conservation. With a full marathon, half marathon, 10km run and 5km fun run, the event inspires public action while helping fund frontline conservation.
Money raised supports the equipping and training of HUGO volunteers and gorilla trackers, helping resources reach the people who need them most.
Working together for gorillas
Together, these efforts — equipping gorilla trackers, training HUGO volunteers, educating and inspiring communities, and mobilising support through the Great Gorilla Run — create a joined-up approach to conservation.
By empowering local people and frontline teams, the Gorilla Defenders campaign helps protect Uganda’s mountain gorillas, strengthen community stewardship and give these extraordinary animals a better chance of surviving and thriving for generations to come.
This is frontline conservation in action — and your support helps power it.
Every penny you give goes directly to Gorilla Defenders. Become a Gorilla Defender today.
Viva! UK and Viva! Uganda have collaborated to bring you a new website dedicated to protecting mountain gorillas.
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