UNAA Times Online | September 2009, Karisoke Research Center Field News | Karisoke staff and researchers brought the body of silverback Titus down from the mountain on Sept. 16, many weeping at the loss of their old friend. Titus, who has been followed by Karisoke staff since his birth in 1974, died on Monday, Sept. 14. Read the full story

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Dear UNAA Times Readers, It gives me the greatest pleasure to welcome you to our limited edition of UNAA Times. We are a privately funded and operated news blog with a focus to reach our diaspora community with news and information that affects our communities. We are also available online at (www.unaatimes.com) and now enjoy membership in more than 72 countries across the globe according to our google analytics.

As a way to create more awareness about the work we do we produced this first limited edition of UNAA Times to highlight some of the stories we have covered over the year. We intend to make this a quaterly publication.

We are currently working on a special project “Galiwango” the first animated luganda movie that features the life of the mountain gorilla. We at UNAA Times are devoted to the conservation of this nearly extinct gorilla specie.

I therefore call upon all those organisations and institutions with a heart for Wildlife to support our cause as we work toward the completion of this movie. We have a trailer that has already been produced but we require funding and donations in order to complete the movie and the TV series.

Finally I wanted to thank you all for supporting UNAA Times and believing in our vision. We are growing and rapidly expanding. We have also joined the social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

On behalf of my creative director Mr. Solomon Jagwe allow me to thank you for supporting Galiwango the Movie.

Kindly help us spread the word.

If you would like to receive a FREE hard copy, please send us an email and your mailing address and we will mail it to you.

Sincerely,
Ronnie Mayanja

Editor | UNAA Times | www.unaatimes.com

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June 2009, DFGFI Field News | Sandy Jones, an experienced caregiver for orphaned primate infants, became the new DFGFI Gorilla Rehabilitation Manager in March. She spent her first two months making the acquaintance of each of the 11 young gorillas that are cared for by the Fossey Fund and the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project in temporary facilities in Kinigi (Rwanda) and Goma (Democratic Republic of Congo). Most were confiscated from poachers while infants, although two were orphaned by armed conflict in the DRC.

“My challenge is to ensure that all the confiscated gorillas we now care for develop physically, emotionally and socially and display appropriate gorilla ‘etiquette,’ ” Jones explained. The social skills are critical because the youngsters are being prepared to eventually join wild gorilla families in the forest. They include six Grauer’s (eastern lowland) gorillas and five mountain gorillas, and range in age from 2 to 7 years.

Jones is well acquainted with the devastating effects primate infants, especially gorillas, suffer when they are separated from their families and familiar surroundings, but she is upbeat about the condition of the 11 currently in “foster care.” Although in the past fewer than 10 mountain gorillas have survived in captivity, and then only for short periods, Maisha, a female mountain gorilla who is the oldest of the group, is thriving after seven years in care at Kinigi. She dominates her gorilla companions and “acts like a princess,” Jones reports.

Ntabwoba, a 6 and ½-year-old Grauer’s gorilla male, enjoys playing with items he finds in the facility, especially during “enrichment activity” periods. He and Kaboko (5-year-old mountain gorilla male) and Itebero (6-year-old Grauer’s female) are close friends who often run, wrestle and laugh together. Kaboko is able to join in the fun despite loss of one hand that had to be amputated due to a snare wound. He is the only male mountain gorilla in captivity. Itebero has distinguished herself by learning to use rocks as tools to crack nuts.

Pinga, at almost 7 years old, is the oldest Grauer’s gorilla in the group. She loves food and likes to watch Maisha play with the enrichment toys. Serufuli, Dunia, and Tumaini, are all Grauer’s gorillas, ages 5 and ½, 4 and 3 respectively. Dunia is very fond of the enrichment toys also and plays with them long after they are much the worse for wear. Serufuli and Tumaini, the youngest, are quieter; Tumaini still needs a lot of comfort from her caregivers but is experimenting with nest building.

In Goma, two mountain gorilla infants — Ndeze and Ndakasi  –attracted international attention when they were rescued following massacres of their family members two years ago. They are now both healthy and lively, and have become close friends. At just over 2 years old, both are being weaned from milk. Mapendo, a 4-year-old Grauer’s gorilla female, arrived a year and a half ago and still spends her time with her caregivers.

We have just learned about the rescue of two more gorilla infants in the DRC and are expecting them to join the three already in care in Goma. Details will follow, so stay tuned.

The Fossey Fund is currently constructing a specially designed facility that will accommodate up to 30 gorilla orphans, on land in the DRC donated by the community-based Tayna Center for Conservation Biology and funded by a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s International Conservation Division. The Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) center will be operated through a public-private partnership between the Fossey Fund, the Congo’s wildlife authority (ICCN) and Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, with support from Disney’s Worldwide Conservation Fund. It is expected to help discourage the illegal traffic in infant gorillas and raise consciousness about this problem among the public.

Jones welcomes the new facility but hopes supporters of gorilla conservation will bear in mind that it too is only a stopgap solution to “the much bigger issues of deforestation due to population encroachment, logging, and bushmeat hunting and other illegal acts.” In the meantime, she will make sure that her young charges have the best possible chance to contribute to the survival of their species.

Link to Article Source: http://gorillafund.org/conservation_science/fieldnews_item.php?recordID=148

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Hi Guys,  a humble greeting  from the  Virtual production Set of Galiwango, Obulamu Bwe’Kisodde.  Here is  a  may sneak preview of what I am working on. It’s a DRAFT for a new trailer for Galiwango with a twist.  It’s going to be rendered both in Luganda and Kinyarwanda, I wanted to give you a glimpse of what the foundation of the story is and where the story is headed. Read the full story

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Earlier this year we (WildlifeDirect) were approached by someone commissioned by a rich citizen of a middle eastern country, who wanted to know how to go about purchasing a baby gorilla. We were very disturbed at the request, and explained as politely as possible, the legal and ethical implications and consequences. Well, it’s obvious that there is a market for baby gorillas as has just been reported by the ICCN.

On Sunday a suspected gorilla trafficker was caught and arrested at Goma International Airport. He arrived from Walikale with a baby eastern lowland gorilla hidden under clothes at the bottom of a bag. This baby came from Congo which is the only place where this species is found. The baby was stressed and was “suffering from over-heating and dehydration after spending over 6 hours in transit”.

This video shows how the operation was conducted by the Virunga National Park. WildlifeDirects former CEO Emmanuel de Merode led the 3 month opearation. Congratulations to everyone at the ICCN – lets hope that justice will be served and the baby gorilla returns to it’s natural habitat.

Resource Link: http://gorilla.cd/2009/04/28/baby-gorilla-seized-in-trafficking-ring-bust/

Article Source: http://gorilla.wildlifedirect.org/tag/congo/

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A baby gorilla stuffed into the bottom of a bag was rescued from smugglers after a three-month undercover investigation to bust a wildlife smuggling ring in the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials announced Tuesday. 

A veteranarian checks on the health of a baby gorilla rescued from smugglers in Goma, Congo. She was found inside the blue plastic bag at right.

The two-year-old female was suffering from overheating and dehydration after spending more than six hours inside the bag, the Congolese Wildlife Authority said in a statement.

Officials on Sunday arrested a suspected trafficker who was traveling with the eastern lowland gorilla via airplane from the interior of the country to the city of Goma.

The infant was found with a puncture wound on her right leg, and injuries on other parts of her body. “She remains weak, and is suffering from dehydration and malnutrition, but is responding to treatment” by staff at the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, the Congolese Wildlife Authority stated.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has some 1,100 rangers at national parks that provide protection for mountain gorillas, lowland gorillas, chimps, elephants and rhinos. But officials warned that the discovery of the baby gorilla is likely just the tip of a bigger problem.

Virunga National Park

This baby gorilla was rescued from smugglers in Goma, Congo.

“Our work has revealed a significant upsurge in the trafficking of baby gorillas in recent months, possibly as a result of the war last year,” said Emmanuel de Merode, director of Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “Investigations have yet to reveal where these animals are being sent and who is buying them, but on the ground sources tell us that a baby gorilla can fetch up to $20,000.”

“We must remember that for each trafficked baby gorilla, several gorillas have probably been killed in the wild,” he added. “If we want to preserve our gorillas — and other wildlife — significant resources must be invested to put a stop to these trafficking rings.”

The Democratic Republic of Congo recently saw a 12-year civil war and is still wracked by instability and fighting.

The DRC is home to two types of gorillas: mountain and lowland. The mountain gorilla is found in the Virunga volcanoes region. The lowland eastern gorilla is only found in the forests of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Link to Article Source:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30455001/

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Hi Guys, here is an update as promised.  I am switching gears: I will be making the updates as video diary segments so you can get a better feel of what a day is like in the Production of Galiwango: Obulamu Bwe Kisodde.  In this Video Diary segment,  I introduce several team members: Omega Okello, Patrick Ssozi and Fyonna Nsubuga. Fiona has taken on the role of Voice Acting Galiwango’s mom. Fiona is a talented Musician who is based in the UK.  Read the full story

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Film: Galiwango Genre: Animated Art  Director/producer: Solomon W. Jagwe
Voice of: Solomon W. Jagwe  Preview by: Vision Reporter

THE first ever animated film about Uganda is set for release soon. Written in Luganda and titled Galiwango: Obulamu Bwe Kisodde, (The life of a Gorilla), the film aims to sensitise the public about the plight of mountain gorillas in Rwanda, the DRC and Uganda.

The film creater, US-based artiste Solomon Jagwe, relies on his skills and African roots to create a sombre but humour-filled animated film. His goal is to draw attention to the existence of this unique natural resource.

Galiwango is a tribute to Jagwe’s grandmother whom he says taught him how to tell stories as a young boy. “I remember sitting by her feet and listening intently as she recounted stories of Waguluddene, Wakayima and Wango.” he says.

Jagwe tells the story of the struggles and triumphs of the gorillas from a captured gorilla’s point of view. He weaves into the tale a human element of interaction with technology, war and humour.

Galiwango’s story begins in the thick tropical forests of the Virunga Mountains. Jagwe traces the gorilla’s journey after it is taken from Uganda and illegally sold to a research facility in an undisclosed Western country.
Years later, Galiwango’s journey comes full circle to Uganda.

A plane carrying equipment and a crate housing Galiwango, is shot down over the Virunga Mountains.

At the crash site Galiwango meets two other gorillas, Muwanguzi, an aging Silver Back and Lutalo, who carries a rifle. The rest of the story explores the dangers of living in a forest that is full of conflict and greed.

Close encounters with poachers and rebels drive the need by Galiwango and his friends to stay alert.

Jaggwe hopes that Ugandans can appreciate the rare gift they have in the mountain gorillas and fight against the possibility of their extinction.

Link to Article Source: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/9/507/674424

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We spoke on the phone with Omega soon after her return from an exciting trip to Zanzibar and Uganda. Omega was able to kill 2 birds with one stone by performing live at the Sauti za Busara festival  and then traveling to Uganda to deliver the Surgical Beds that she purchased with the money that was raised when she performed live at the Mulago Benefit concert last year.  Here is the conversation from that phone call. Read the full story

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VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK, Congo —  The first census of critically endangered mountain gorillas carried out by government authorities since rebels seized the area shows that 10 babies have been born in the last 16 months, wildlife officials said Monday. Read the full story

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UNAA Times: We have been  following closely the production of Galiwango. We couldn’t help but wonder what technology is driving the creation of the Characters in the upcoming film. Can you give us an inside look into what kind of computer software you are using? Read the full story

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Hi Guys, here is another quick update of the crash site where Galiwango encounters Muwanguzi and Lutalo. The animation is going well. Somethings to point out, rendering in High Definition takes a loooong time. I am rendering at 720P. Some new software updates have made the rendering alot faster and more stable. I am excited about the upcoming trailer. I think you guys will love it.

This is a wireframe screen grab of the crash site scene and following below that is the 3D render – the setting is early morning – I have always loved beautiful landscapes with the sun rising above the jungle – Uganda offers alot of apportunities to see jaw dropping shots like that.

3D Render

Feel free to post any comments or questions.
Until next time, stay blessed
Sincerely
Solomon W. Jagwe
Producer | Director | Obulamu bwe Kisodde

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The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International is a not-for-profit organization founded by Dr. Dian Fossey in 1978 to preserve and protect the world’s last mountain gorillas. Originally named “Digit Fund” in memory of Dr. Fossey’s favorite gorilla, the Fund was renamed in 1992 to underscore its commitment to carry on the gorilla protection and research programs established by Dr. Fossey.

Story of a Mountain Gorilla Advocate,  by Eric W. Codak

Dian Fossey was murdered by an unknown attacker in her cabin at the Karisoke Research Center in the Virunga Mountains in 1985. The attacker hacked her to death by what investigators believe to be a machete. They entered through a hole in the wall prior to the attack.

No arrests have ever been made, but local authorities believe it to be poachers who were at odds with Dian and her anti-poaching brigade of but a few soldiers.

BACKGROUND/BIOGRAPHY

Childhood

Dian was a second generation English Immigrant on her father’s side. She lived her younger years in California Her parents separated when she was at an early age due to her father’s heavy drinking and involvement with the law. Dian stayed with her mother who later remarried to a Richard Price. His involvement in Dian’s life was unnerving due to his stern traditionalist ideologies. Her interest for animals were withheld due to house rules. She was permitted once to have a goldfish, but when it died she was not to have any more pets.

College Education

Dian’s parents acted and seemed wealthy but still did not help with her college education. Instead her maternal aunt and uncle helped with her finances while she attended school.

After she had finished high school in 1949, she attended Marin Junior College in California. She took business classes encouraged by her stepfather and hated them. She worked part time at a department store while she was in school and at one time as a machine operator in a factory.

When she was 19 the summer after her first year of college she was offered to be a ranch hand on a dude ranch in Montana. Here she got completely wrapped up in the animals or anything that walked or flew. This all came to an abrupt end due to Dian contracting chickenpox and had to leave early.

In 1950, she went back to school, this time picking her own classes, and enrolled as a pre- veterinarian medical student at the University of California at Davis. She liked the courses in biology but had a hard time dealing with the “hard sciences”, like chemistry and physics and eventually failed out her second year.

In 1952, Dian transferred to San Jose State College, with a new interest in working with damaged children. She later graduated with a degree in occupational therapy in 1954.

She would later go back to college to Cambridge University were she received a Ph. D. in Zoology in 1974 after establishing the Karioke research Center in Rwanda in 1967.

Life After College

After graduating she interned at various hospitals in California working with tuberculosis patients for nine months. Wanting to get away from California she looked for and got a job as far away as she could, at Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

She dealt with the fact that she could visit her mother and stepfather on holidays but other than ritual visits, she did not want to relive her stay in California. Hired on as the Director of the occupational therapy department at Kosair, she enjoyed working with the rugged, friendly backwoods people of Kentucky. She lived outside the city limits, renting a dilapidated cottage on a farm called, Glenmary. The owners there encouraged her to pitch in with seasonal work, putting her veterinarian expertise to use on the farm with the animals.

Influential People

An important person Dian came in contact with was Mary White Henry, secretary to the chief administrator at Kosair Hospital. Mary introduced Dian to many of Louisville’s society, being that of the opposite sex.

Still young and in her early twenties, her look was that of a tall slender built woman, with strong features. Although not conventionally beautiful she did attract many young men.

One man she met who had become involved with sporadically throughout Dian’s life was, Franz Forester. He was a some what wealthy Rhodesian who had invoked the closest relationship Dian had yet.

Although Mary had introduced Dian to Franz, she also would unknowingly involve Dian with yet another man who would unknowingly convert her to Catholicism. His name was Father Raymond. He was an Irish priest who she had become involved with over a period of time.

Although her intimate relationship grew with the priest it also did with Franz Forester. In 1957, he offered her a paid trip to Africa on a one way trip to live there at his parents estate.

Key Introduction to Gorillas

The seed was planted and although she regretfully denied several different trips to Africa, one also offered by Mary White in 1960, she still had a burning desire to go to a place where all the animals weren’t driven into little corners, roaming freely about. Understanding that financially she could not afford the trip, she began to accumulate literature on safari’s, and was determined to reach Africa before the year ended in 1963.

By June of that year she had made arrangements to hire a Nairobi safari guide at the price of Five-thousand dollars. She mortgaged her income for the next three years from the hospital to a loan company at an interest of twenty-four percent.

She continued to educate herself with any kind of literature she could find. One particular book “The Year of the Gorilla” by zoologist George Schaller, held the most interest for Dian. This was the start for her desire to learn more about the rare mountain gorillas which was explained in Schaller’s book.

Packing for her first encounter to Africa, her luggage didn’t compare to the amount of medication she had to bring along. Dian’s allergies were certainly not on the itinerary for the trip, so she suited her self with all the allergy medicines she could imagine.

First Experience of Africa

After reaching Africa she was led to believe that the renowned paleoanthropologist, Dr. Louis Leakey was in Nairobi. Her experience of the Congo was quickly impressionable on Dian and wanted to further her knowledge of the mountain gorilla and to experience even seeing one.

After coming in contact with Dr. Leakey, she expressed her interest in his work and the work of the gorillas as influenced by George Schaller. Little if not any impressed with her he told her to keep in touch after her brief visit.

Following the visit, Dian and her guide stopped in the village of Kisoro and met up with a group of photographers heading up one of the volcanic mountains, Mt. Mikeno.

This is where Dian saw her first sign of gorilla life of a sleeping area they had been at the night before. The experience would determine the future course of her life.

Dr. Louis Leakey & Going back to Africa

After returning to Louisville, Dian had again met up with Dr. Louis Leakey at a conference and influenced him enough to have him sponsor her with research support.

She knew she was under qualified with no anthropology, biology, ethnology, or zoology background, but Dr. Leakey liked Dian’s ambition for the gorillas.

After getting a grant from the Wilkie foundation which supported Jane Goodall with her efforts in studying chimpanzees, Dian was now headed to Africa. She was later supported by the National Geographic and left for Africa after resigning Kosair Children’s Hospital in 1966.

Karisoke Research Center

The research center was established in 1967 between two volcanic mountain ranges, Mt. Karisimbi and Mt. Visoke located in the Parc des Volcans in Rwanda. The park is located on the border of Zaire, within 10 miles of Uganda. She later housed her anti-poaching patrols there as headquarters to stop the slaying of gorillas. The research center also brought in other scientists to study different aspects of the gorillas biology.

Accomplished Research

Her pioneering work with the gorillas has forever changed the ways animals are studied in the wild. Her observations of gorillas behavior, dispelled myths about the mountain gorillas violence. She sat unharmed, within a few feet of them almost everyday for 22 years.

She also noted many vocalistics and behavior patterns within their each family of gorillas she had observed. Dian became very involved with one particular gorilla, Digit, who was later beheaded by poachers.

Dian set up the Digit Fund (now the DFGF) to attract international support for gorilla conservation. (To contact the DFGF see below).

Gorilla Poachers

The poachers were locals making money off of the hands, heads and feet of the gorillas. The heads were used as wall decorations and hands and feet as ashtrays. Dian’s reputation with the locals was not always very good. She often played with the notion that they thought she was a witch (because of local Black Magic beliefs) and played the role of a witch while interrogating poachers they had caught.

She also was threatened to be kicked out by the government because she suspected involvement with the poachers and Rwandan government. She continuously had to legalize her paper and work permits to further her work.

Bibliography & Links to learn more

http://www.netsrq.com/~dbois/fossey.html

Discover Magazine, Feb 1987 v.8 p.28(14)
Fossey, D. Gorillas in the Mist. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983.
Mowat, F. Woman in the Mists. New York: Warner Books, c1987.
People Weekly, Feb 17, 1986 v.25 p.46(5)
Time Magazine, Jan 13, 1986 v.127 p.38(1)

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund (DFGF)

For more information and pledges for support contact:

The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund UK, 110 Gloucester Avenue, London NW1 8JA

Tel: 0171-483 2681 Fax: 0171-483 4541 (International: 44-171-483 2681)

Article Source http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/dianfossey.html

Visit Dr. Dian’s Gorilla Fund Website
http://www.gorillafund.org/about/index.php

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