60 Cheers for 60 Minutes

Kudos to CBS' 60 Minutes and Anderson Cooper for taking a trip to the Congo to report on the status of the Mountain Gorilla, which is critically endangered. While fewer than 700 of these incredible animals remain, poaching and encroachment on their habitat by farmers and diamond miners is keeping them on the critically endangered list. On top of this, tragic warring between the Tutsi and Hutu tribes is decimating their close subspecies, the lowland gorilla. Some estimates forecast the total extinction of the mountain gorilla by 2050 if meaningful steps aren't taken today to save their meager population. Here's a clip from the episode:

GET SPONSIBLE!

Next to chimpanzees, gorillas are our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom, genetically speaking. With somewhere in the neighborhood of 700 remaining in the world (and none at all in zoos), this entire subspecies (one of two, along with the lowland gorilla) could easily disappear from the earth with a single tragedy.


Take action now by giving generously to one of several excellent conservation organizations set up to protect gorillas. Our favorites include the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and the African Wildlife Foundation as well a the Africa Conservation Fund and The Gorilla Foundation.
Saving these gentle animals is a top priority on our list. The gas tank is on empty and we're running on fumes. Let's help fill the tank up (biodiesel of course) and pull the mountain gorilla back from the precipice of extinction.