Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Gorillas vs Guerillas

Virungas National Park, Rwanda


I always knew the mountain gorillas were under threat.  There are fewer than 700 left straddling the border between Rwanda and the DRC (former Zaire) - a notoriously unstable area.  The gorillas have been caught up in the midst of seemingly endless guerilla warfare. 
But apparently, things are getting worse.  Read about the charcoal mafia that has developed in this part of the world.  Its ugly and scary, but, according to 60 minutes anyway, there is hope - It doesn't have to be the end of the gorillas. 


This photo was taken a couple years ago when I was in Rwanda.  I like it because their hands look so surprisingly human.  They mirror us in so many ways, in fact.  And to sit with a family of them is intimate in a way that is hard to explain.


1 comment:

Stephanie Torresi said...

You actually got to sit with a family of gorillas? I am so jealous. That must have been an incredible experience. Having a toddler really makes you think about our connection to these animals.