GAP PROJECT TRIBUTE

Last December 27 was the 25th anniversary of Dian Fossey murdered, at Virunga Mountains, in Rwanda, committed by hunters of gorillas, animals she used to protect.

In 1967 – reminds GAP Project Spain – Dian Fossey created Karisoke Investigation Center, at Rwanda Mountains, and showed to the world the life of a group of extraordinary gorillas, with whom she developed a relationship based on love and friendship.

At that time there was no awareness about the destruction of forest and uncontrolled hunting of these primates so close to us. Gorillas were caught and had their hands and heads sold as trophies to insensible collectors.

In honor to this extraordinary woman, GAP Project Spain appeals to Spain to consider the alert given by European Community Justice Tribunal, which denounced in 2009 the lack of control and abuse committed at Spanish zoos, where animals are mistreated and treated as simple objects.

At the same time, director of GAP Spain, Pedro Pozas Terrados, denounces the trafficking of primates between zoos. Babies and young animals are pulled away from their families and are sent to distant places, in order to procreate and amuse humans, with no respect towards their basic rights or family feelings.

If Dian Fossey was alive, she would be the first one to condemn the existence of zoos in the world to human entertainment. At that time she already used to say: “I will not allow that they convert this mountain in a damned zoo”.

 
Dr. Pedro A. Ynterian
President, GAP Project International