Muraho, Oli otya, Jambo,

My name is Frank Keesling (President of the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund).

My family’s involvement in Mountain Gorilla Conservation goes back to 1983 when my folks met the late Dr. Dian Fossey at the Hotel Muhabura in Musanzi, Rwanda. Tourism trekking to the critically endangered (248 remaining) mountain gorillas was just beginning and Dian was struggling with poaching, snares and disease transmission from us to the gorillas.

In 1984, Dian was invited by my late mother, Dr. Ruth Morris Keesling to attend a conference at the San Diego Zoo and speak about the sustainability of captive primates and it was here that Dian said, "These animals and going to die and I'm going to die with them, I had better get some help and can you please send me a veterinarian"? A promise was made!

January 1986, ten veterinarians were scheduled to fly to Rwanda and meet with Dian to develop the veterinary program, since wildlife veterinary medicine really did not exist in a natural habitat in these days. Unfortunately, Dian was murdered in her cabin at her Karisoke Research Center while sleeping on December 26, 1985, just two weeks before the vets were to arrive.

We tracked down Dian's parents who lived in Upstate New York and the "Digit Fund", Dian's non-profit was relocated to Englewood, Colorado. Four major non-profits came from it, Digit Fund was renamed, The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, The Gorilla Organization (based in London), Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (today, Gorilla Doctors) and the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund.

I got my start with the gorillas in 1991 with my video production company and a new contract with the Rwanda Government to film the gorillas for gorilla tourism. Spent many nights at the Karisoke Research Center and have trekked to the gorillas 100+ times. I produced videos for the travel industry and to our donor base that explained just how their contributed funds were being used.

Success, in 1985 there were just 248 mountain gorillas left in the world and none are in captivity. Today, we have an estimated 1063, which makes the mountain gorilla the only great ape primate that is increasing with their population. I invite you to join me or one of our subject expert tours leaders on one of eight life-changing eco-tours. Each of these trips have been carefully hand-crafted experiences visit an iconic and spectacular part of Africa and finish with a Mountain Gorilla trek in Rwanda.

We promise these tours are so unique, full of extra eco-tourism value adds and talks. Our eco-suppliers will also contribute 2.5% of all sales to the non-profit MGCF, enabling us to continue to provide expert veterinarian education and care and ensure the future of the Mountain Gorilla population.