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National Geographic profile Innocent and Diddy Gorilla rangers

Category: Uncategorized | Date: Jun 18 2008 | By: admin

Those of you in USA must not don’t miss ON TV Gorilla Murders airs Tuesday, July 1, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel.

National Geographic are doing some amazing coverage on mountain gorillas and have a 12 page article called Virunga Gorillas by Mark Jenkins about it on their online magazine. We are so proud that the work that WildlifeDirect has contributed is getting recognition. We’re especially pleased that the guys on the ground, at the front lines of conservation, whose lives are at risk every day, are correctly given the hero’s status.

“….Over the last year, the rangers have focused their efforts on stopping charcoal traffickers and have become media-savvy bloggers, photographers, videographers, and educators who reach tens of thousands of people around the world through a Web site hosted by the nonprofit conservation program WildlifeDirect, a partner of the National Geographic Society.

National Geographic News interviewed Innocent and Diddy, as they are known familiarly on their blog, about their work and passion. Both men are from Congo. Diddy has worked as a ranger at Virunga for about 18 years, and Innocent has been there for 11 years.

A ranger’s life is difficult. You work in a war zone, at times without pay or food rations. How do you get by?

Diddy: There have been many moments when we worked without getting paid, without food.

When there aren’t problems associated with the war, some people, including some guards, maintain small farms near the park border. From the harvest we could borrow food and make ends meet as we waited for a paycheck.

Innocent: We are assigned to protect nature, and as such we cannot abandon this work.”

Doesn’t it make you want to hug them? Imagine if everyone was this dedicated? I love these guys and had an amazing time with them last year in Congo, and we brought them to Kenya … here are some recollections

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A busy week in Nairobi included tours of parks and city, Diddy described the day he met orphaned baby elephants at the David Sheldrick Trust as the best in his life!

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Innocent meets his first rhino, max - another orphan

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I’m not going to be able to watch the show so please please please give us your reactions here or on their blog gorilla Protection.

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My two weeks in the Congo included three days in the forest with Emmanuel, Diddy and Innocent - meeting their gorilla families -the best days in my life!

Wouldn’t it be amazing if the rebel Nkunda would leave the park and allow Congo to restart mountain gorilla tourism - enabling Diddy and Innocent to continue their work while bringing visitors to meet the amazing Mikeno gorilla families. For now enjoy them virtually on gorilla blog and you can support Diddy and Innocents work to enable them to protect these extraordinary animals and their habitats safe into the future.

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6 Responses to “National Geographic profile Innocent and Diddy Gorilla rangers”

Iris, on 18 Jun 2008

I am so very happy that WildlifeDirect is getting it’s deserved recognition in this month’s National Geographic article - and front Page! Congratulations to all the staff and all the Virunga rangers. Innocent and Diddy, you are an inspiration to all of us! Iris

sheryl bottner, on 18 Jun 2008

This is awesome! I’ll watch it and make sure my blog is updated the day before it airs.

I’m going to adopt Max the rhino for my niece’s birthday gift this year. He’s blind and has been sick lately, so if y’all haven’t visited the Sheldrick Web site, get over there! http://www.sheldrickwildlifetrust.org/index.asp I’m sure it’d be the best day of my life, too, to hang out with baby eles and our awesome rangers.

s.

Lisa, California, on 18 Jun 2008

Yes, I would love to hug Diddy and Innocent and all the other Rangers that risk their lives to protect the worlds last remaining mountain gorillas. They have a very important job, which when you really think about it, as so very much to do with saving our planet. These men and their families deserve far better than they get in return for their brave hearts. If it weren’t for Wilidlife Direct, they might not even be getting this very much deserved recognition for their hard and dangerous work. I dream and pray of the day Nkunda leaves the gorilla sector in the hands of the very capable Rangers; when tourism can be started anew and sustained; when the Rangers receive a salary reflective of their very hard and important work. A salary by which they can lift up their families. I dream and pray of the day when DRC can thrive on gorilla tourism other eco tourisms and not the tragic and destructive charcoal industry. I can’t wait to see the Nat Geo special. I have my calendar marked and I will let you all know what I think. Although, I’m sure it will be beautifully done. Lisa

Jim from Mass USA, on 19 Jun 2008

May I suggest that you use the “category” to identify the writer like they do at Manioc Valley. That way a reader can search for the writings of a particular author they wish to follow.

Paula, on 19 Jun 2008

Thanks Jim, will do.

Chaz, on 20 Jun 2008

thought readers of this blog would want to know that the National Geographic Society is working to protect the current remaining lions in Kenya, and to establish programs that will help the population grow and thrive well into the future. The key to protecting the lions is first to remove the economic incentive to kill the lions. These efforts involve creating a sustainable balance between local Maasai communities and lion groups. You can read more about their efforts at http://www.nationalgeographic.com/bigcats

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