Friend a Gorilla campaign needs fresh impetus

UGANDA – Following the visit of Simon Curtis last week to Uganda, aimed to produce a documentary film about the endangered mountain gorillas, further details have come to light about the progress and

UGANDA – Following the visit of Simon Curtis last week to Uganda, aimed to produce a documentary film about the endangered mountain gorillas, further details have come to light about the progress and limited success of the September 2009 launch of www.friendagorilla.org .

Presently, according to the site meter, only 14,730 “friends” have signed up, way below the optimistic projections given by people involved in the creation of the project and launch last year. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) confirmed that from the “friend fees” and related donations, some US$60,000 has been raised so far over the past 8 months, which while laudable in itself, is again below expectations.

It is understood that the presence of Simon Curtis triggered a general review of the project, its aims, objectives, and expectations to devise a revitalized strategy in promoting gorilla conservation and raising much-needed funds from overseas supporters.

Readers are invited to visit the Friend a Gorilla pages on Facebook, where a minimum contribution of only US$1 can ensure a lasting friendship with the selected individual animal, all of which are shown on the site.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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