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Saving the Gentle Giants

March 2009

Gorillas by Martin Harvey &
Lititia Farris-Toussaint
Published by Evans Mitchell Books

snow-monkeys

The gorilla populations of the world are seriously under
threat. So much so that the United Nations has declared 2009 to be the Year of The Gorilla, with the aim of raising awareness of these amazing creatures and the threats they face, and working to halt their decline.

Evans Mitchell Books, who are to publish a new book called Gorillas on 5th March, has signed an agreement with the UNEP Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals to support The Year of the Gorilla 2009.

The company, who has previously supported other conservation campaigns, will donate money from the sale of each copy of Gorillas to the UN campaign. Part of the money raised from their worldwide sales will be used to help fund projects to protect gorillas and their habitats. Lord Evans of Watford, Chairman of Evans Mitchell Books, said “We are delighted to be supporting the United Nations Year of the Gorilla, and contributing to protect the welfare and environment of these incredible mammals.

We hope our book, Gorillas; the Gentle Giants of the Forest will not only help provide resources needed for the campaign, but will also be an informative and interesting read to all”.

Gorillas is a stunning hard backed book, with 132 pages of amazing photography and fascinating text, following the life, habits and fight for survival of these magnificent animals.

Gorillas are the largest of all living primates and man’s second closest relative, sharing 98.4% of their genes with humans. They were first discovered in the 1800’s and were considered ferocious beasts that had people reeling with both fright and delight.

Gorillas have always been a source of inspiration and fascination, and have long been the subject of extensive observation by field biologists, wildlife photographers and writers. In this new book Gorillas, the authors use beautiful and intimate photography, alongside informative text, to take us through the history, features and habits of these amazing animals. They also discuss their fight for survival, faced with the problems of poaching, disease, deforestation, and the affect of armed conflict.

Whilst these severe threats continue, gorillas remain an endangered species. Trends suggest that they could become extinct in the wild this century. It is imperative that current conservation efforts are widened, which is why the UN has announced that 2009 is the Year of the Gorilla. Letitia Farris- Toussaint says “The call by major international organisations for an official Year of the Gorilla in 2009 reflects both the urgency of the animal’s plight, and the hope that resides in recently stepped-up global cooperation toward safeguarding it. It is also a call for heightened awareness about the gorilla on all our parts. To this, we hope our book will contribute.”

Martin Harvey adds, “Having spent a lot of time with Gorillas, it is depressing to realise just how under threat they are; the extent of the bush meat trade, logging and habitat loss is mind boggling when you are actually there, seeing what is going on”.

One of the objectives of the Year of the Gorilla 2009 is to educate the wider public about gorillas and the threats they face. Martin and Letitia hope that the publication of this new book will be able to help achieve that.

Martin Harvey is a BBC award winning South African photographer. He has over 15 years experience photographing wildlife in 45 countries from the Arctic regions of North America to the desserts of Australia. His photographs have been published in books and magazines throughout the world, including publications such as National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Geo, Natural History and International Wildlife. He is frequently commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature to cover conservation projects. He photographs many different subjects from insects to elephants, and of course gorillas.

Letitia Farris-Toussaint is originally from California. She studied primate behaviour in Paris under pioneering lemur specialist Jean-Jacques Petter. She later turned to conservation and communication, covering projects ranging from managing a campaign in French Guiana for the World Wide Fund for Nature, to organizing events in France for the Dian Fossey Fund (now the Gorilla Organization). She currently devotes her time to writing and working with French organizations to communicate outside France on nature and the environment.

For more information on YOTG click here

The UN have designated 2009 the Year of the Gorilla as a celebration of one of our closest relatives and an appeal to everyone to join the efforts to halt their decline. Gorillas are seriously threatened by hunting, habitat loss and other manmade threats. Therefore, the Year of the Gorilla will aim, using this magnificent species as a flagship, to conserve not only the gorilla, but also its habitat. Gorillas play a crucial role in maintaining the tropical rainforests in Africa, which are one of the key pillars keeping the world’s climate in balance. The Year of the Gorilla will promote educational initiatives and schemes to involve local communities and improve their livelihoods. There will be a strong emphasis on promoting responsible ecotourism, which is already a major source of income in Central African countries.

The biologist and conservationist Ian Redmond OBE is the Ambassador for the Year of the Gorilla.

For more information on YOTG you can visit www.yog2009.org

Further information

For more information please contact Sally Woodyatt on 07912 979906 or email sally@polkadotpr.com

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