
community
Dec 22, 2018
Click here to get involved.
The Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (or GRACE) is the world's only sanctuary for Grauer's gorillas, a Critically Endangered great ape that only lives in war-torn Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A close relative of the better-known mountain gorilla, Grauer's gorillas are one of the world's 25 most endangered primates with only 3,800 now remaining in the wild. They have lost 80% of their population in the past 20 years primarily due to poaching. GRACE cares for 14 gorillas orphaned after being captured illegally. GRACE gives them a surrogate family of other orphans and a natural forest habitat so they can be rehabilitated for eventual release back into the wild. GRACE teamed up with GoPro to film the journey to GRACE of a young gorilla named Lulingu and to follow her through the rehabilitation process.
Below, GRACE Executive Director Sonya Kahlenberg, Ph.D., tells Lulingus story.
Lulingu was just a baby - around 16 months old - when her family was killed for meat by an armed group. She was captured instead of killed, likely in order to be kept or sold as a pet. Gorillas are usually weaned around 3 years old, so it was way too early for her to be separated from her mother. She was found outside Kahuzi-Biega National Park in a village called Lulingu, which is where she gets her name. When found by the wildlife authority, Lulingu was hungry and had a gash on her waist caused by the chain her captors used to restrain her. Yet, she was surprisingly healthy. She is one of the lucky ones. Most gorillas in her situation succumb to malnutrition or other injuries before they can be rescued. Harder to diagnose were the psychological wounds that we knew Lulingu had. She had seen her entire family killed in front of her and had been kept for some time in the armed group's camp.
Lulingu received care temporarily in Virunga National Park then was transferred to GRACE to join other Grauer's gorillas. It's about a 300 km journey, but we opted to travel by plane because the roads in Eastern DRC can be treacherous as well as dangerous, given the widespread insecurity in the region. On move day, stormy weather delayed our plans, but a break in the clouds finally allowed the 4-seater plane to take off. A veterinarian was onboard to watch over Lulingu during the 1-hour flight, but she quickly fell asleep in her caregiver's arms. We landed on a rough airstrip nestled in a mountain valley then drove Lulingu the last 45 km to GRACE.
In our experience, what orphan gorillas need most is to be with other gorillas. However, all new arrivals must first go through quarantine to ensure they are healthy. During this time, human caregivers attend to their every need, 24 hours a day. Quarantine usually lasts 30 days, but Lulingu's was longer because she suffered from diarrhea, a condition that can turn serious for little gorillas. So we had to proceed slowly and carefully to help her digestive system adjust to her new surroundings. The GRACE caregivers called Lulingu the perfect gorilla because she was an easy charge. She ate well, loved to play, and when she needed medication, she took it easily.
The day Lulingu joined the gorilla group at GRACE was a joyous one for us. It was the first time since her capture that she was physically with gorillas again. Pinga, the alpha female, immediately started looking after her like an adoptive mother. Gorillas should never be taken from the wild, so giving them the opportunity to be reunited with other gorillas is at least something we can do to help right this terrible wrong. However, this is just the beginning of the story for Lulingu and her new family. Our ultimate goal is to return the gorillas to the wild where they can live free again. But for now, we are thrilled to see Lulingu happy and thriving at GRACE. We were fortunate to capture her story on film to share with the world. Thanks to GoPro for this amazing opportunity and partnership!
Join GoPro in supporting the rehabilitation and conservation of Grauer gorillas .
Most recent headlines
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
01/05/2025
72.4% of overall TV viewing in Q1 2025 is of content that includes advertising
...
01/05/2025
NEW YORK LiveNow From Fox, Fox Television Stations' national news streaming service, has released viewing data showing the first quarter was the best quarte...
01/05/2025
The global installed base of Smart TVs and Connected TV (CTV) devices will reach 4.2 billion units by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 9.6% from 2.65 billion in 2025,...
01/05/2025
Samsung TV Plus has announced that it is expanding its existing lineup of more than 50 sports channels with five new free, ad-supported streaming television (FA...
01/05/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla. Carlo DiMarco has joined USSI Global as vice president of strategic marketing and growth, with responsibility for strategic business development...
01/05/2025
WASHINGTON The NAB has filed a wide-ranging rebuttal to proposals by the pay TV industry that the FCC delete and/or significantly change rules governing retrans...
01/05/2025
WASHINGTON The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has filed a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from firing three of its board members, claiming the pre...
01/05/2025
HONG KONG Riedel Communications today said it has opened a new office in Hong Kong, enhancing its presence in the Asia-Pacific region....
01/05/2025
MUMBAI, India & BALTIMORE In a development that could advance efforts to bring NextGen TV to cellphones, FreeStream Technologies, Lava International and HMD hav...
01/05/2025
01 05 2025 - Media release Screen Australia empowers 100 distinctive Australian narratives
All The Boys Are Here writer/director Goran Stolevski and It s All...
01/05/2025
How PFX Delivered 750 VFX Shots in Just Four Months For Anthony Hopkins Thriller...
01/05/2025
Careline's New Wave Makeup Commercial Shot With URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton May 1, 2025
0 Comments
CAD Studios relies on large format, full fram...
01/05/2025
Voice actor and producer Mark Yoshimoto Nemcoff shares his first impressions of the DPA 2017 Shotgun Microphone, from real-world auditions to side-by-side compa...
01/05/2025
With my previous console, Freeman recalls, I always had to run a Waves server for EQ and compression, but when I switched to DiGiCo, I found it was such an op...
01/05/2025
Stream all episodes ofLook Who's Hangry from April 29
An RT Player Original in partnership with Heinz...
01/05/2025
Here is your host, Patrick Kielty!
T naiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and T...
01/05/2025
Exclusive interviews and un-seen footage feature in new two-part series...
01/05/2025
May brings more than just rainbows and sunshine - it's also time for fresh adventures and epic battles. This GFN Thursday spotlights 20 can't-miss games...
01/05/2025
RT Investigates reveals details of Christian Brothers who were senior leaders a...
01/05/2025
RT Statement
The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project is one of the projects that was funded from the proceeds of RT 's land sale in 2017, the init...
01/05/2025
Watch our promo: RT Supporting the Arts | What's on
This May, RT is delighted to support Bealtaine Festival, Fastnet Film Festival, and Dublin Dance Fest...
01/05/2025
For Nicolas Simon, advancing the field of robotics is a personal mission that could change his siblings' lives.
Two-thirds of Simon's family members us...
30/04/2025
Film elements held at the Deluxe warehouse in March of 2015. Photo by Luis Silva...
30/04/2025
EA SPORTS FC 25 fans in Australia and Saudi Arabia, get ready to immerse yourselves in the beautiful game like never before. Spotify is excited to announce a n...
30/04/2025
The past year has been nothing short of a whirlwind for Tucker Wetmore. After th...
30/04/2025
Mexico's love for podcasts is no longer a trend-it's a lifestyle. With m...
30/04/2025
Slam poet Huda the Goddess wins 2025 Les Murray Award
30 April, 2025
Media releases
Australia for UNHCR and SBS are proud to announce that Huda Fadlelmawla...
30/04/2025
SBS, NITV and NIDA partner to empower the next generation of screen creatives
30 April, 2025
Media releases
SBS, National Indigenous Television (NITV) and ...
30/04/2025
By Joyce JC Cataldo
The media and entertainment industry is evolving faster than ever. Technology is shifting the way we create, distribute, and experience c...
30/04/2025
An image of Valencia, Spain, in the OneAtlas Living Library...
30/04/2025
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. WPSD-TV, the NBC affiliate in Paducah, Ky., has selected Bitcentral's Central Control playout system to upgrade the station's mast...
30/04/2025
AMSTERDAM Zero Density, a global provider of virtual studio productions and on-air graphics, has appointed Baris Zavaroglu as its new CEO. Zavaroglu succeeds Of...
30/04/2025
The Avit Group, a forward-thinking audio-visual technology company, is bringing over 50 years of combined experience in delivering audio-visual design and insta...
30/04/2025
NXTGENbps will be showcasing its latest sustainable battery power solutions at this year's Media Production & Technology Show (MPTS), appearing alongside pa...
30/04/2025
Van Dyke skates and operates on Shoresy | photo by Dave Ferguson
Toronto-based Cinematographer Brett Van Dyke (Heartland, Jann, Carter) stepped into the rink...
30/04/2025
Leading provider of media playout solutions PlayBox Neo will exhibit a vast array of significant upgrades to its range of smart media innovations at CABSAT from...
30/04/2025
ITV Studios is renowned for its award-winning productions, including the reality TV phenomenon I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! Produced by Lifted Ente...
30/04/2025
The UK's presence at this year's CABSAT brings together 20 innovative companies under the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland banner. From advanced infra...
30/04/2025
Lightware continues to strengthen its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives by fostering diversity, inclusion, and community engagement within...
30/04/2025
LiveU is demonstrating for the first time in the UK, its revolutionary technological breakthrough in IP-video transport, LiveU IQ (LIQ ) and bringing its expand...
30/04/2025
Stand: A40
Calrec has been putting sound in the picture for more than six decades and is still pushing the boundaries of audio broadcasting with a full range o...
30/04/2025
Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) has opened its new virtual production studio, designed and integrated by CJP Broadcast. The installation equips students wi...
30/04/2025
Independent news producer in India focuses on delivering stories
nxtedition has supplied a complete newsroom system to Collective Newsroom, based in New Delhi,...
30/04/2025
Connecting the present, building the future
FOR-A, a cutting-edge video broadcast technology company backed by more than 50 years experience, will showcase it...
30/04/2025
DAD by NTP Technology reports a successful NAB Show in Las Vegas where the company focused on upcoming expansion options in development for its Thunder | Core a...
30/04/2025
CVP and Canon UK & Ireland are proud to announce the winning projects from the third annual Stories in Motion Young Filmmakers Awards, which took place on the e...
30/04/2025
Leading video software provider, Synamedia, today announced that beIN MEDIA GROUP ( beIN'), one of the foremost global sports and entertainment broadcasters...
30/04/2025
The Canadian Premier League (CPL) today launched a new-look website and app, offering supporters of Canada's men's domestic professional soccer league a...
30/04/2025
WASHINGTON In a wide-ranging press conference, Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr had both good and bad news for broadcasters, stressing that ...