Saving Gorillas: Every. Single. Day. 2017 DIAN FOSSEY ANNUAL GORILLA FUND REPORT INTERNATIONAL CONTENTS Letter from President & CEO/Board Chair . 1 2017: A Year of Legacy and Growth . .2 Our 50th Anniversary: Celebrations and Memories . 4 The Gorillas in 2017: Hellos, Goodbyes, Overcoming Obstacles . 6 Inspiring Stories from Behind the Scenes . 10 Financial Information . 12 About the cover: Our Amazing Donors . 14 Orphaned gorillas Fasha and Icyororo (left) helped each Board of Trustees . 16 other throughout the year . Ways to Give . 18 Meet the Mountain Gorillas . 20 Letter from President & CEO/Board Chair When an organization has been around for as long as we have, people often wonder how it can maintain its success and relevance. Questions are sometimes posed about the organization’s capacity to fly into and above the heavy winds of change. Of the hundreds of thousands of nonprofit organizations operating around the world, many simply – over time – succumb to the relentless pressure to measure, prove, and magnify their mission’s worth and impact. Our board of trustees and staff are proud that in 2017 the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund once again affirmed its staying power as a global leader in gorilla conservation . For over half a century, our mission to protect and study gorillas has been refined and strengthened, and that impact extends beyond wildlife to emphasizing and supporting the human dimensions of conservation as well . Protecting gorillas every day over the course of 50 years is a monumental effort that takes coordinated teams of dedicated trackers, anti-poachers, scientists, and educators; it also involves partnerships with local governments and other conservation organizations . But this cooperative effort and the very results of that work would never get off the ground without the network of donors whose commitment to conservation is unparalleled . Through the regular support of this international web of individuals, foundations, businesses, and organizations, our teams in the field and in the office have what is needed to fulfill the vision first born in the heart of Dian Fossey. Her indomitable spirit and persistent efforts live on in the people and donors of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. In this 2017 Annual Report, you will see the the impact made possible by our donors . It has been a year of surprises and adventures on every level – in the lives of the gorillas themselves, in the investments into our community engagement, and in the incredibly fun and exciting opportunities we’ve had to raise awareness about the organization itself. For an organization that just celebrated its 50th birthday, we’re in no way slowing; we’re just getting started! Together we have accomplished more than we could ever do alone . The future of conservation rests in all of our hands. Thank you for raising yours in support of the planet’s last wild gorillas. Gratefully, Tara Stoinski, Ph.D. Judith C. Harris President and CEO Chair Chief Scientific Officer Board of Trustees Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund | 2017 Annual Report | 1 2017: A Year of Legacy and Growth In Rwanda we had an extraordinary year, continuing to expand our gorilla protection efforts, monitoring many changes among the gorilla groups, and covering increased areas as the mountain gorillas continued to expand their range. We now protect an area that is more than 33 percent of Volcanoes National Park. Our daily tracking remained indispensable to the safety of the gorillas, as seen through the story of young Fasha, who was caught in a snare in April. Our trackers had noticed that she was missing from her group and immediately sent out a search party. When they found her, she had a snare attached to her ankle. They were then able to begin the process of saving her, which included arranging a veterinary intervention as well as close monitoring as she recovered and returned to her group. In this kind of situation, we are proud that daily monitoring by our expert trackers allows us to act quickly and make experienced decisions, critical to the gorillas’ survival . This type of daily monitoring and study involves a growing group of field staff – our gorilla team in Rwanda now includes 80 staff members. In addition to providing protection, our team collects data on the gorillas’ behavior, demographics, ranging, and health, and records any signs of illegal activities in the park. They also collect biological samples, such as fecal, urine and hair samples, for use in scientific analysis. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, we had significant expansions to our groundbreaking work protecting and studying Grauer’s gorillas, whose population has declined precipitously in recent years. At our Nkuba Conservation Area, deep in the core of Grauer’s habitat, five tracker teams now protect an area of 1,100 square kilometers and continue to survey new areas where additional gorillas may be located and therefore in need of protection . We do this in conjunction with local traditional landowners, who agree to designate their land for conservation . While this protection is directly critical to the gorillas’ survival, it is also allowing us to gather important information about their lives, habitat requirements, ranging patterns and other important data, which we can use to scientifically determine the best methods for protecting them and their forests going forward. In addition to this area, we also expanded our survey work in Congo’s Maiko National Park, since our first survey there found evidence of more gorillas than had previously been estimated . And we continued to study the only habituated Grauer’s gorilla groups, which live in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, to gain information that will help us understand more details about their lives and needs . 2 | Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund | 2017 Annual Report 2017: A Year of Legacy and Growth Our successful conservation model includes four key parts: daily gorilla protection, scientific research, educating conservationists, and helping communities. Daily Gorilla Protection Scientific Research Our daily gorilla protection patrols are the heart of our work and We use cutting-edge science to understand the gorillas and a crucial part of saving critically endangered gorillas . In addition their habitats, and to develop the best conservation strategies . to our award-winning trackers at Karisoke protecting mountain We continue to increase our scientific staff and to expand our gorillas in Volcanoes National Park, we now have permanent scientific collaborations with other research and academic teams of trackers in Congo in community forests protecting organizations . Grauer’s gorillas . In 2017 In 2017 GOLDEN MONKEYS Two Ph.D. projects were 500 CONGO EXPANSION started on golden monkeys, to PATROLS We continue increasing our MORE GRAUER’S add to our knowledge of this Our anti-poaching permanent teams of trackers Our survey to detect endangered species. teams carried out in Congo, who are protecting Grauer’s gorillas in Maiko more than 500 Grauer’s gorillas. National Park found more patrols in Rwanda. than had been reported! Additional surveys underway. PRIZE AWARDED BIODIVERSITY One of our collaborative papers on primate and human Hired a Ph.D. evolution was awarded the % INCREASE We 57increased by 57 percent the forest area scientist to help prestigious Cozarelli Prize where we protect Grauer’s gorillas in Congo. expand our by the National Academy biodiversity work. of Sciences. Educating Conservationists Helping Communities The Fossey Fund is dedicated to creating the next generation of We believe that helping local communities is crucial to effective scientists and conservationists where we work, for the best long- conservation, and that only when people are thriving can the term, sustainable results . Overall, in 2017 we reached the largest environment around them thrive as well . The Fossey Fund has number of people ever with our training and conservation extensive programs in education for all ages, as well as livelihood programs! programs, such as food security projects . In 2017 In 2017 Rwandan undergraduates have now COMMUNITY 15 SCHOOLS participated in classes at our Karisoke PROGRAMS were served with conservation 2,400 Research Center. education programs in We added a new scientist Rwanda, up from six schools to help expand in the past. and strengthen our community engagement programs. SUPPORTED 40 200 PEOPLE HOSTED 400 With the support of donors, More than 200 people Rwandan university science we helped 40 field staff work benefited from our small- students for field courses on their bachelor’s, master’s, scale farming project. and research projects. and Ph.D. degrees. 5,470 primary school children were reached through Expanded our professional internship our conservation 5,400 people attended our program for recent university graduates, education conservation movie with 19 interns working at Karisoke at programs. series in Rwanda. 19 various times during 2017. Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund | 2017 Annual Report | 3 Our 50th Anniversary: Celebrations and Memories Throughout 2017, we commemorated the 50th anniversary of our Karisoke Research Center, founded by Dian Fossey on Sept. 24, 1967. Some of the highlights included: Dr. Tara Stoinski, our President and CEO/Chief Scientist played a big role in the annual Rwandan gorilla- naming ceremony, called Fiftieth anniversary events, Kwita Izina. Dr. Stoinski speeches, and “friend-raisers” gave the keynote address at were held across the country the event’s Conversation on during the year, as well as in Conservation and named an Europe and Rwanda, to help raise infant gorilla in honor of Dian more support and awareness Fossey during the ceremony . for our successful gorilla conservation programs . We won the International Conservation Award from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, for global leadership in conservation . Fossey’s legacy and our work were featured in media channels around the world throughout the year, including a three-part television docu-series on National Geographic, and features in National Geographic magazine, Scientific American, CNN and more.