2020 was a difficult year for people around the world. Here at the Fossey Fund, we changed our work protocols in an effort to keep our employees and the gorillas we monitor protected from COVID-19. We also had to be concerned about the health and safety of the human communities with which we partner near the Volcanoes National Park and we had to think creatively, finding innovative ways to reach these communities with our important life-saving programs.
However, there was one positive point in this difficult year: baby gorillas!
Babies born in 2020 reaffirmed our belief that the work we are doing is making a difference in the gorilla populations we protect. With so few mountain gorillas remaining in the wild – only 1,063 were counted in the last census – the arrival of a new baby gorilla is always a cause for celebration.
On September 24 – World Gorilla Day – the Rwanda Development Council organized the celebration of the baptism of Kwita Izina, in which new baby gorillas are named. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they held the celebration virtually in 2020. Twenty-four baby gorillas were named that day, and of the 24, 10 were born in groups monitored by the Fossey Fund. Seven of the babies were nominated by trackers from the Fossey Fund – a notable honor for our frontline team.
And yet, each new baby reminds us of the immensity of the task before us. We monitor each new arrival and each new mother carefully, knowing how we do it, although there are few animals on the planet more powerful than a fully adult silver-backed gorilla, these baby gorillas are incredibly fragile and are at great risk. In 2020, each new baby born reminded us of the enormity of the task before us and inspired us to redouble our work by protecting these beautiful animals and their forest biodiversity.