From a single veterinarian in Rwanda to an international team, the organization marks four decades of helping mountain gorilla population more than double
DAVIS, CA, UNITED STATES, April 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — What began as one American veterinarian in Rwanda providing emergency care to critically endangered mountain gorillas has grown into an international organization conserving both mountain and Grauer’s gorillas across Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) — their entire range — through veterinary medicine and scientific research.
Dian Fossey’s Foresight
In the early 1980s, mountain gorillas were on the brink of extinction. Dian Fossey believed that a veterinarian could make all the difference for their long-term survival, and the first gorilla doctor arrived in 1986. Forty years later, mountain gorilla numbers have more than doubled, and research has demonstrated that veterinary care has played a significant role in their recovery.
“It is a rare and remarkable conservation success story–one that began with the understanding that saving one gorilla at a time could ultimately save the species,” said Dr. Sonya Kahlenberg, Executive Director of Gorilla Doctors. “For 40 years, our veterinarians on the frontlines have seen the results firsthand. Gorillas we treated as infants are now thriving mothers, raising two or three offspring of their own. This anniversary isn’t just a milestone—it’s a celebration of every life Gorilla Doctors has helped save.”
One Gorilla Doctor at a Time
The first gorilla doctor was American veterinarian James Foster, who established the Volcanoes Veterinary Clinic in Rwanda and pioneered the practice of treating gorillas in their forest home — always while surrounded by their gorilla family. In 1995, less than a decade after Dr. Foster’s arrival, the program became the Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) and hired its first Rwandan veterinarian, Antoine “Tony” Mudakikwa. That same year, MGVP expanded veterinary care to the mountain gorillas of Uganda. In 2009, MGVP partnered with the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at UC Davis’ School of Veterinary Medicine and became Gorilla Doctors.
Dr. Mudakikwa’s hiring began an organizational commitment to building local expertise and leadership. Today, Gorilla Doctors is a team of more than 30 Rwandan, Ugandan, Congolese, and American veterinarians, scientists, and conservation professionals working alongside government wildlife authorities with a shared understanding: the health of gorillas, people, and the planet are interconnected.
“It has been the honor of my professional career to serve as Gorilla Doctors’ head veterinarian in Uganda, working with the Uganda Wildlife Authority to keep watch over the health of mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga Gorilla National Parks,” said Dr. Benard Ssebide. “I have witnessed many changes in conservation medicine — some driven by evolving health threats for gorillas and people alike. Advancing the health of both and expanding our emerging infectious disease research will be critical as we move into our next 40 years.”
Looking Ahead
While mountain gorillas are the only great ape whose population is growing, Grauer’s gorillas remain critically endangered. Both species face significant threats: disease, habitat loss, armed conflict, poaching, and climate change.
“Respiratory infections are a leading cause of death in mountain gorillas, and our research has proven that these infections are caused by human pathogens,” said Dr. Tierra Smiley Evans, Chief Veterinary and Scientific Officer at Gorilla Doctors.
Emerging infectious diseases — and their potential to affect both gorillas and people — are a core focus of Gorilla Doctors’ scientific research. The organization is currently the lead health partner in a transboundary consortium led by the Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration: Strengthening One Health-Based Prevention, Preparedness, and Response in the Greater Virunga Landscape (GVL). The project is funded by the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund, with FAO, WHO, and UNICEF as implementing entities.
“Not only will this project help us keep gorillas and people healthy, it supports a critical advancement of veterinary and public health capacity across the region — and will improve our ability to detect and respond to pathogens with pandemic potential in this critical ecosystem,” said Evans.
About Gorilla Doctors
Gorilla Doctors, a partnership with the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center at the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, is the only organization in the world providing life-saving veterinary care to endangered eastern gorillas in the wild using science and a One Health approach. www.gorilladoctors.org
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube: @gorilladoctors
Amy Bond
MGVP, Inc/Gorilla Doctors
abond@gorilladoctors.org
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