Kigali: Some 600 runners in gorilla costumes caused a big stir on the streets of London Saturday as they took part in the annual Great Gorilla Run 2009, RNA reports.

The run, in its seventh year, is one of the most popular annual events in the English capital. This year’s fundraisers have so far raised more than 130,000 pounds (Rwf 120.4million) for conservation charity The Gorilla Organization - formerly The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Europe.

The donations will go towards community conservation projects in areas of precious gorilla habitat shared between Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo, according to the organizers.

The latest fundraising comes in the midst of new revelations indicating that the ‘Gorilla King’ Titus who died recently could have been as a result of a fight with another dominant gorilla.  

The Dian Fossey group says using proceeds from the marathons, in Rwanda alone, 13 000 farmers have been trained in sustainable agriculture techniques so they can grow crops outside the protected areas.

Workshops have been held in DR Congo showing local people how to make and use the stoves, and more than 500 have been made. Fuel-efficient stoves reduce fuel consumption by up to 70%, reducing the amount of firewood taken from the forest.

Miners have been given training on ethical mining techniques, as illegal mining in DR Congo has been a huge problem for gorilla habitat.

Beekeepers in Uganda have been helped with better equipment and investment to improve livelihoods and reduce the need to use forest resources.

< Prev		Next >