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On Sunday the 26th of September the TBTC UK team donned gorilla suits and took part in a 7km run around London as part of the Annual Great Gorilla Run to raise much needed funds for the Gorilla Organisation.

The Run

Conservationist, television presenter and national treasure Bill Oddie started the run with a rousing speech and London's Mayor Boris Johnson wished the 600 runners luck on their 7km run through the City.

The press were out in force snapping and filming the gorillas as they bounded by, with BBC News, Sky News, the Daily Mail and London’s Metro all featuring the impressive spectacle!).

Over £150,000 has already been raised by the Great Gorilla Runners and with money still flooding in it is hoped that over £200,000 will be collected to support the Gorilla Organization’s conservation projects in Africa.

Better Conservation & Sustainability

Gorillas are on the brink of extinction. There are four subspecies of gorilla, living across 10 countries in Africa, and all are classed as endangered or critically endangered. The remaining 750 mountain gorillas live in Rwanda, Uganda and DR Congo in the lush forests of the Virungas Massif and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Sadly, enormous pressure and encroachment on their habitat is posing the greatest threat to the future of this magnificent animal.

The Gorilla Organisation works to protect the gorillas by encouraging sustainable conservation, and tourism that needs gorillas as well as supporting rangers who defend the gorillas. “By providing communities with the sustainable resources to help lift themselves out of poverty we are reducing the destruction of the gorillas’ forest home, and giving the gorillas and their neighbours a brighter future.” Gorilla Organisation.

This notion of sustainability is one of TBTC’s key ideals and so we are delighted to be part of such a great initiative.

I am happy to report that all the TBTC gorillas finished in one piece and did in fact RUN the run (well most of it) and finished in under an hour.

We have until the 26th November to raise funds so if you would like to sponsor this great work please click here.

Posted by Shelly Graham (September 2010)