Eastern lowland gorillas are one of our closest relatives.
But the way we've treated them is sickening. For decades, they have been dealt devastating blow after devastating blow.
They've been thrust into the centre of a civil conflict, they've been hunted relentlessly as a source of food, and their forest home is being destroyed on a truly terrifying scale to make way for large-scale agriculture, logging and mining operations.
And what makes this even more heartbreaking — even more gut-wrenching — is that these gorillas want nothing more than to be left alone.
Eastern lowland gorillas are a peaceful, private species. They may be powerful, but these impressive creatures are also sweet and sociable, living in harmonious groups of up to 30 where they help to fend for and protect each other.
They avoid confrontation and show aggression only when threatened. Even the powerful silverback, the group's dominant male, often takes time to play with his offspring.
But if the loss continues at this gruesome rate, these gentle giants simply won't survive much longer.
We must act quickly.
Fauna & Flora is helping to put crucial community rangers on the ground in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but we need your donations to support them.
These community rangers need lots of equipment to do their jobs, including clothing for all weathers, hard-wearing boots to help them to walk for up to six hours a day, detailed maps to navigate the dense forest, camera traps, first-aid kits, rations, rucksacks and so, so much more.
It's not going to be easy — every day, poachers are on the lookout and century-old trees are being turned to withered leaves and ash, leaving the gorillas with nowhere to hide.
But — with your donations — we can support the rangers and give these wonderful creatures a chance.
In fact, if every Care2 member reading this gave just €29 right now, we could help get enough rangers into the field to turn the tide for these innocent animals.
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