To fit in with our topic of Life Forces, Year 4 have adopted a gorilla in support of the WWF charity.This incredible charity works to protect some of the world’s most vulnerable animals.

ADOPT A GORILLA

The powerful mountain gorilla, now critically endangered with only around 880 left in the wild.

The mountain gorilla is one of four surviving gorilla subspecies. They’re found in just two isolated populations – in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, and the Virunga volcanoes – which span the borders of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

We will be looking very closely at all aspects that are affecting and causing the decline in population.

The adoption and support will to do many things. Such as:

train rangers to detect and safely remove snares set for other animals, which can often servery hurt or kill gorillas
help to train rangers to protect the gorillas against poaching of babies for the illegal pet trade
work with local governments to improve the management of the national parks where gorillas live
help to protect vital gorilla habitat
help reduce conflict between mountain gorillas and humans when gorillas enter villages and farmland

Today, in class, the children were very excited to begin learning about these magnificent creatures.

Lots of question were asked and we hope, in time, we will be able to answer them. The children received their first Gorilla update from the charity.

This is The Year 4’s first Gorilla update.

HOW YOU’RE HELPING

With WWF’s help a 10 year trans-boundary strategic plan has been agreed to allow the authorities of Uganda, Rwanda and DRC to work together to help protect mountain gorillas. The plan will help the three countries come together, share knowledge and best practices, and manage the Virunga Massif and its diverse ecosystems in a more coordinated way.

Your adoption helps pay for cameras to be put in remote locations – so we can check on wildlife numbers and health. Take a look at this amazing footage of a beautiful gorilla family.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AggPUKh6Z6Y

Thank you for making The Year 4’s a Gorilla adopter.

Your adoption is really vital to us. Together we can be a truly effective partnership for protecting the natural world. Thank you!

WWF

Year 4 will keep you posted on all the updates received from the charity.

Our newest class member