Gorillas  Tags: sustainability; central_africa; gorillas; dian_fossey  

(Image courtesy of Lukas Vermeer)

Titus

August 24, 1974 - September 14, 2009

The Death of the Silverback Titus

"On the morning of Sept. 14, Fossey Fund trackers at the Karisoke Research Center found legendary silverback Titus dead on his night nest in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. He was 35, which is quite old for a male mountain gorilla. Titus had been the dominant male in one of the gorilla groups studied for many years by Karisoke and was the subject of the documentary “Gorilla King” for the PBS Nature series." more...

Gorilla King Titus Buried in Special Ceremony

"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." more...

The year 2009 is the United Nations Year of the Gorilla. In keeping with the international focus on this critically endangered species, Brenau University will align its 2009 -2010 Ivester program with a world-wide effort to educate people and reverse the dangerous trend toward extinction of one of the planet’s most beautiful and intelligent wild animals. All gorillas are drastically threatened by habitat destruction for farming and fuel, political insecurity, poaching, and disease. Conservation and protection efforts will succeed only through research, education, and improvement in the lives of local communities which adjoin the gorilla habitats. These areas of focus reflect the growing interests and concerns of environmental organizations to protect the future viability of the planet Earth and represent the core mission of The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (DFGFI).

Through the Kay and Doug Ivester Endowed Program Series, Brenau University will collaborate with DFGFI to highlight their ongoing work in gorilla research and protection as well as the multitude of issues facing conservation in the 21st century.