Calling all mobile users!
Want to liven up your phone and support the world's wildlife at the same time? Then why not dial G for Gorillaz?
Download a wild animal wallpaper or roaring ringtone for your phone and
some of your money will go to wildlife charities around the world.
What gives you a bigger buzz - a pound in your pocket or the sound of a
chest-pounding gorilla? If you value silverbacks more highly than
greenbacks, Global Gorillaz is for you.
What's on offer?
Firstly, phenomenal photos
Bird or butterfly? Turtle or tarsier? You'll be spoilt for choice
Secondly, a symphony of sounds
Growl or howl? Colobus chorus? Or a ten-dollar oropendola? Whatever is music to your ears
Just sample and select. It's that simple - check out the 'downloads' galleries to see what's on offer!
Patience is a virtue...
A
list of countries where Global Gorillaz is available will be coming
soon, along with details of how to purchase and download content. In
the meantime, just watch this space, or if you want to get in touch to
make sure your country is on the list, check out the contact form on the
'about gorillaz' page...
Got the message? Then get the download!
Animals and their habitats are in trouble. The future of the world's
wildlife is on the line. Global Gorillaz supports endangered species and the environments where they live.
At the touch of a button, you can help them too. Their fate is in your
fingertips.
Are you engaged yet? To answer the call of the wild - and join our
community of Global Gorillaz - dig out that handset and get tapping!
Click a phone for wallpapers, ringtones or games (they're coming soon!)
Been there, done that, want the t-shirt?
Once you've downloaded stuff for your phone, you're a fully paid-up
member of Global Gorillaz, the growing global gang of gorilla guardians (just
don't try to say it too quickly). Watch this space - your official
t-shirt and mug will be available shortly.
Helping conservation around the world
Conservation is a
truly global effort, and that's why Global Gorillaz is a truly
worldwide club. Joining is simple - get yourself a wallpaper, ringtone
or game, and then spread the word amongst family and friends. How
simple could it be?
As
you can tell, 'Global' Gorillaz isn't just about protecting gorillas.
After all, they're only found in Africa. But, as a flagship,
charismatic species they're ideal ambassadors for conservation - go on,
admit that you're just as hooked as we are! Sadly, gorillas face a real
survival challenge, and there are many more species around the world in
the same boat. And that's where you - and Global Gorillaz - comes in.
We
all know how fun it is to customise our phones with the coolest
wallpapers and ringtones, or to get a great game to play while you wait
for that bus. Wouldn't it be even better if you knew that some
of your money was going directly to help save species and their
environments around the world? Come on, you know it makes sense!
Global
Gorillaz is all about conservation, and making it happen. As the club
expands it will support more and more projects, in more and more
countries, to reflect the global nature of conservation and the global
nature of the Global Gorillaz family. Pound or dollar, Euro or peso,
South African rand or Indian rupee, your contribution will make a difference. What better way of spending that loose change?
The Global Gorillaz Conservation Portfolio
As
soon as the service begins launching, we will announce the names of the
initial projects and charities your money will be supporting. Naturally, gorillas
will be among the first...
Your mobile and the environment
So, why Global Gorillaz?
Well, the name does have a certain ring to it, you must admit. Let's
just say we (some of us) have a soft spot for gorillas. They are one of
our closest relatives, for a start. They're peaceful, gentle
vegetarians. We could learn a lot from them, if only there was time.
Unfortunately, they may not be around much longer - unless we help them
out.
We have a guilty conscience, too. There's a direct connection between gorillas and mobile phones.
What's the connection?
In a word, coltan.
Never heard of it? You should have.
Option one: If you think Coltan is somewhere the Voyager crew checked
out in an episode of Star Trek, you're the one living on another
planet. The reality is a bit more down-to-earth. Literally.
Option two: If you think Coltan is a new brand of sunscreen/bronzing
lotion/after-sun cream, it's time for a quick chemistry lesson.
Dial E for Extinction
Coltan is a mineral containing tantalum. Tantalum is a rare and
valuable metal, twice as dense as steel and highly resistant to heat
and corrosion. It can store and release an electrical charge. It's used
to make capacitors for electronic gadgets. Still awake? What matters is
that your phone wouldn't work without it. And the raw material is being
dug out of the ground in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, a World Heritage
Site. Illegal coltan mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo is
driving eastern lowland gorillas to the brink of extinction, as hungry
miners kill them for meat.
What can you do?
Recycle your old mobile phone. This will reduce the demand for more
coltan. Check whether your mobile phone company uses coltan that has
been mined legally and responsibly. Better still, download a ringtone
or wallpaper from this site as well. A proportion of the money you
spend will directly benefit wildlife, including gorillas.
So, who's behind Global Gorillaz?
Global Gorillaz has
come to your (mobile and PC) screens as a result of the combined effort
of a small group of individuals and companies -
I.T. professionals, mobile phone experts, web designers, charity experts
and conservationists. Despite a wide variety of backgrounds and
interests, what unites us is our love for nature and wildlife, and a
passion for the world around us.
Without giving away our
ages, the combined experience of the team comes out as45 years in
technology and 75 years in conservation..!
So, as you can see,
Global Gorillaz is a marriage made in gorilla heaven - a talented team
unlike no other with strong links in the mobile phone and charity worlds.
Wanna meet the team?
Here's what
the Global Gorillaz Team has to say about the project. If you want to
get in touch with us or post a message, contact details will shortly be
appearing at the bottom of the screen.
Who: Karen Hayes and Simon Hicks
From: Hicks&Hayes Limited
What they normally do: Develop opportunities for conservation...
What they did: Project management, promotion, marketing, strategic input
What they think:
"Every time our mobile rings, it reminds us that we're individuals and
that we used our individuality to join a group of like-minded gorillaz
who care about the world we live in. Long live gorillahood!"
Who: Ken Banks
From: kiwanja.net Limited
What he normally does: Turns technology into opportunity...
What he did: Website design, develop Gorillaz concept, technical input, project management
What he thinks: "A Gorillaz wallpaper: About as close as you can get to a gorilla without stepping on its toes"
Who: Tim Howe
From: KnowHowe Limited
What he normally does: Friendly and affordable web design and software development...
What he did: Website programming, flash animation, all things web-related
What he thinks: "I'm still thinking. Back to you shortly!"
Who: Simon Weitzman
From: 3GXmobile Limited
What he normally does: Anything to do with mobile content, emerging mobile opportunities
What he did: Provided technical input, ideas - and plenty of early encouragement - to the project
What he thinks: "Our content buys the planet time, not telecommunications awards..."
Who: Tim Knight
From: Deepest, darkest Vietnam
What he normally does: Freelance writer and editor for conservation organisations, children's author, anything to do with words
What he did: Put together the text for the site
What he thinks: "Does 'GW' stand for Global Warming, Mr. President?"
If
you've got any burning questions, or just want to get in touch with us,
just complete the form below. And if you're looking for a reply, please remember to include your email address!
Gorilla lowdown
Everything you ever wanted to know about gorillas (but were too busy to ask)!
The greatest ape
After chimpanzees, gorillas are our closest living relatives. They
are also the largest of the great apes. An adult male can weigh over
180 kilos (400 pounds). When mature, males develop a silver-grey saddle,
hence the name 'silverback'. Adult females weigh about 90 kilos (200
pounds).
Animal magnetism
In the world of conservation, gorillas are sometimes described as
charismatic megafauna, which is grown-up speak for 'big and interesting
animals'. People care about what happens to them. This makes gorillas
(and tigers and elephants) useful as 'flagship' species. In other
words, they not only attract public support for themselves, but also
help to focus attention on their forest home, upon which many other
smaller, supposedly less interesting species depend for survival.
Change of image
Gorillas are complex, highly intelligent apes, but until 1960 they
had never been studied in the wild. The work of George Schaller and,
later, Dian ("Gorillas in the Mist") Fossey began to shed light on the
behaviour of mountain gorillas and changed the public image of the
gorilla from monstrous King Kong to peaceful vegetarian.
Gang of four
These days, the experts generally agree that there are four different kinds, or subspecies, of gorilla:
1. The western lowland gorilla
has an estimated population of 100,000. It is found in Angola,
Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Nigeria and the Republic of Congo.
Although it is the most widespread gorilla, numbers are plummeting.
2. The Cross River gorilla,
a subspecies of the western lowland gorilla, is probably the most
endangered ape in the world. It is confined to 10 tiny and isolated
populations, scattered across an area of 2,500 sq km, in the forested
highlands that straddle the border between Cameroon and Nigeria.
3. The eastern lowland gorilla,
also known as Grauer's gorilla, is found only in eastern DRC. It
probably numbers somewhere around 5,000 individuals, but this desperate
corner of Africa is a more-or-less permanent war zone where poaching
and illegal mining are out of control. The population has nose-dived in
the past five years.
4. The mountain gorilla
is larger than its lowland cousins. Hunting and habitat destruction
have driven it to the verge of extinction. Itis now found only in two
small, protected areas of forest in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable
National Park and the Virunga Volcano Region where DRC, Rwanda and
Uganda meet. There are fewer than 700 mountain gorillas left in the
wild, and none has ever survived in captivity.
Under pressure
Gorillas are threatened on all sides by poaching, disease and the continuing destruction of the forests where they live.
Gorilla warfare
As if it wasn't enough to see your forest home shrinking faster
than a puddle in hell, the bulk of the world's gorillas have the
misfortune to live in the most politically unstable region of the most
politically unstable continent on the planet, caught in the crossfire.
If this little taster has whet your appetite, click here for more gorilla-sized facts!
More about great apes
They're grrreat!
Great apes are great in both senses of the word. They are not just big.
They're also magnificent, awesome and, well, great.
The orang utan (meaning 'wild man of the forest' in Bahasa, since you
ask) lives only on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. It's the only
great ape left in Asia. The orang utan is a bit of a lone ranger and
spends most of its time high in the trees. Its long, straggly hair
turns from carrot colour to dark brown as it grows older.
African great apes - gorillas and chimpanzees - are covered with
short, coarse, black hair. They are good climbers, but are equally at
home on the ground. They usually move around on all fours, but will
walk short distances on two legs.
Chimpanzees are mainly found in tropical rainforest, though some are
found in savannah woodland. They usually live in loose groups of thirty
or more. And they make a real racket. Adult chimpanzees stand about 1.2
metres (four feet) tall and weigh around 45 kilos (100 pounds). The
bonobo, or pygmy chimpanzee, is slightly smaller and more upright than
its 'common' cousin and spends more time in the trees than Africa's
other great apes. It is only found on the left bank of the Congo River
in the swampy forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
All the great apes are sliding towards extinction. The IUCN Red Data
Book tells you how close to the brink they really are. Be warned - it's
not pretty.
Profile: Western lowland gorilla
The western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) has an estimated
population of 100,000. It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African
Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea,
Gabon, Nigeria and the Republic of Congo. Although it is the most
widespread gorilla, numbers are decreasing rapidly. Its population is
currently threatened not only by deforestation and the bushmeat trade,
but also by potentially devastating outbreaks of the Ebola virus. It
lives in flexible groups and, in that sense, behaves more like a chimp
than like other gorillas. It also has a broader diet and consumes a
larger proportion of fruit.
Common name: Western lowland gorilla
Scientific name: Gorilla gorilla gorilla
Habitat: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Location: Central Africa
Status IUCN: Endangered (EN A2cd)
Population: Approximately 94,500 individuals
Although many thousands of the western lowland gorilla subspecies occur
in the vast lowland forests of central Africa, they are coming under
threat as timber companies move into the region. As forests are opened
up by timber companies, hunters move in. The commercial trade in
bushmeat is now an added threat to gorillas and other forest fauna.
This gorilla occurs in the rainforests of central Africa, specifically
in lowland forest and swamp forest from sea level to about 1,600 m. The
majority of the population is considered to inhabit the forests of
Gabon.
Social Structure
The western lowland gorilla has the smallest family groups of all gorillas, averaging 4-8 members.
Diet
Gorillas are mainly herbivorous, but they will also eat rotten wood and
small animals. The diet of the western lowland subspecies also includes
the fleshy fruits of almost a hundred seasonally fruiting tree species.
Previous Population and Distribution
In 1996, this subspecies was estimated at around 110,000 - 115,000 individuals.
Current Population and Distribution
The western lowland gorilla is the most widespread of all the gorilla
subspecies, ranging through southern Cameroon, the southwest corner of
the Central African Republic (CAR), west Congo (Brazzaville),
Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and southwards to the Cabinda enclave of
Angola (north of the Zaire River). There is no reliable estimate of the
total number of western lowland gorillas because they inhabit thick
rainforest where it is difficult to count them.
The forests of Gabon are currently considered to harbour the major
population, although it is possible that unsurveyed areas of Congo
(Brazzaville) may contain equivalent numbers. Surveys in Cameroon have
established that western lowland gorillas occur at higher densities
throughout a wider range of forest habitats than was previously
thought, e.g. almost three individuals per square kilometre in Lobeke
National Park.
Total numbers of western lowland gorillas can only be guessed, but
based on known densities and the extent of their habitat, the
population may number as many as 94,500 individuals, with a geographic
range of 709,000 square kilometres. Nevertheless, the western lowland gorilla is
categorized as Endangered (IUCN Red List) because of habitat loss and
poaching pressure: the population in Equatorial Guinea is probably
Critically Endangered.
Habitat loss and degradation
In Central Africa, timber has become a major export earner and vast
areas of rainforest in the western lowland gorilla's habitat in the
Congo Basin have been already lost or are leased out to European and
Asian logging concerns.
Hunting and trade
Bushmeat is regular fare for many human populations in Africa. Gorillas
are sought after as food, pets, and their body parts are used in
medicine and as magical charms.
It has been estimated that in the early 1990s, approximately 5% of
gorillas were killed for their meat for local consumption. Market
hunting may put that figure higher. In fact, according to some
estimates, 400 - 600 gorillas are killed each year in the northern
Democratic Republic of Congo, while a group of 25 hunters in Cameroon
claim to kill approximately 800 gorillas each year. In the Dzanga-Ndoki
National Park and Dzanga-Sangha Reserve of the Central African
Republic, evidence from park patrol raids on poachers' camps show that
gorillas are now being actively hunted.
The trade in bushmeat, which occurs over much of Grauer's gorilla's
range, may now be more of a threat than habitat loss and degradation,
but the number of gorillas killed annually is unknown. The influx of
people in Kahuzi-Biega National Park has also resulted in an increase
in bushmeat hunting.
Species Description
The western lowland gorilla has a brownish-grey coat with a red or
auburn crest. Mature males have a silvery white saddle extending from
the back to the rump and thighs. In this subspecies, the brow ridge is
more pronounced, and ears appear small in relation to the heads.
Compared to other gorilla subspecies, the western lowland gorilla also
has a wider skull. The gorilla is an impressive animal, identified by a stocky body, large
hands and a short muzzle. Unusually, the gorilla's thumbs are larger
than the fingers. The face, ears, hands, and feet are bare, and the
chest in old males lacks hair.
Size
The gorilla can reach a height of 1.25 - 1.75 metres when standing on two
feet. Weight is 70 - 140 kg in females and 135 - 275 kg in males.
Colour
The hair of western lowland gorillas is short, and of grayish or
brownish colour. The male has a patch of whitish hair that extends onto
the thighs, grading into the black body color.
Major habitat type: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Biogeographic realm: Afrotropical
Habitat countries: Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), Angola
Geographical location: Central Africa
Ecological region: Congolian Coastal Forests, Western Congo Basin Moist Forests
Profile: Cross River gorilla
The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), a subspecies of the
western lowland gorilla, is probably the most endangered ape in the
world. It is confined to 10 tiny and isolated populations, scattered
across an area of 2,500 square kilometres, in the forested highlands that straddle
the border between Cameroon and Nigeria.
Common name: Cross River gorilla
Scientific name: Gorilla gorilla diehli
Habitat: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Location: Central Africa
Status IUCN: Critically Endangered (CR A2c; C2a(i))
Population: Probably about 250 - 300 individuals in the wild
The few remaining forest patches of south-eastern Nigeria and western
Cameroon are home to the Cross River gorilla, a subspecies of the
western gorilla. Conservation measures are urgently needed for this
beleaguered animal if it is to survive. As forests are opened up by
timber companies, hunters move in. The commercial trade in bushmeat is
now an added threat to gorillas and other forest fauna.
In Nigeria, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, a WWF Affiliate, is
working with communities in the Cross River National Park to help save
the Cross River gorilla.
Species Description
The Cross River gorilla differs from the western lowland subspecies in skull and tooth dimensions.
Major habitat type: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Biogeographic realm: Afrotropical
Habitat countries: Nigeria, Cameroon
Geographical location: Central Africa
Ecological region: Cameroon Highlands Forests
Profile: Eastern lowland gorilla
The eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) is less
well-known than the western cousin and found only in eastern DRC. Its
population is thought not to exceed 7,000. It has the misfortune to
live in the middle of a war-zone. It is highly vulnerable and has been severely affected by
both war and illegal coltan mining (see 'your mobile').
Common name: Eastern lowland gorilla, Grauer's gorilla
Scientific name: Gorilla beringei graueri
Habitat: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Location: Central Africa
Status IUCN: Endangered (EN A2cd+3cd+4cd)
Population: Approximately 16,000 individuals
Grauer's gorilla, also known as the eastern lowland gorilla, is found
only in the rainforests of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC). The species' strongold is the Kahuzi Biega National Park, where
it is threatened by bushmeat hunters and encroachment of people in the
Park. Civil conflict and political instability have left the Congolese
National Parks network in a state of dereliction, hampering the
effective conservation of this species.
Species Description
The eastern lowland gorilla is the largest of all four subspecies. Its
hair and teeth are shorter than the Mountain gorilla's, and its arms
are longer.
This impressive animal is identified by a stocky body, large hands and
a short muzzle. Unusually, the gorilla's thumbs are larger than the
fingers. The face, ears, hands, and feet are bare, and the chest in old
males lacks hair.
Previous Population and Distribution
Until the mid 1990s, the eastern lowland gorilla was thought to number
around 17,000 individuals, but numbers have declined over 80 to 90% in
the last 5 years, largely due to increased poaching in Kahuzi-Biega
National Park.
Current Population and Distribution
The eastern lowland gorilla occurs in the lowland and Albertine Rift
montane forests of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),
approximately 1,000 km away from the nearest populations of western
lowland gorillas. Its stronghold there is the Kahuzi-Biega National
Park, which is subject to poaching and habitat destruction.
The geographic range of the subspecies covers 12,000 square kilometres, declining
from 21,000 square kilometres in 1963. Data suggests that Grauer's gorillas occupy
only 13% of their geographic range.
Grauer's gorilla is threatened by the loss of its habitat and poaching.
Habitat loss and degradation
There are few protected areas, including Kahuzi-Biega National Park,
within the species' range. Due to civil unrest, Kahuzi-Biega is under
severe threat from poachers and encroachment, and it has been very
difficult for Park guards to patrol borders in this region. People have
moved into the Park in order to mine coltan, an alloy used for cell
phones (see section under 'your mobile'). This has also resulted in forests being cleared for farming.
Despite these setbacks, in 2004 anti-poaching patrols in the Park
increased, new rangers have been recruited and trained, and more ranger
posts have re-opened.
Hunting and trade
The trade in bushmeat, which occurs over much of Grauer's gorilla's
range, may now be more of a threat than habitat loss and degradation,
but the number of gorillas killed annually is unknown. The influx of
people in Kahuzi-Biega National Park has also resulted in an increase
in bushmeat hunting. Gorillas are sought after as food, pets, and their body parts are used
in medicine and as magical charms. Besides being in demand for meat,
there is widespread belief that gorilla body parts have medicinal or
magical properties.
Major habitat type: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Biogeographic realm: Afrotropical
Habitat countries: Democratic Republic of Congo
Geographical location: Central Africa
Ecological region: Northeastern Congo Basin Moist Forests
Profile: Mountain gorilla
The mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is larger than its
lowland cousins. Hunting and habitat destruction have driven it to the
verge of extinction. It is now found only in two small, protected areas
of forest in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Virunga
Volcano Region where Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of
Congo meet. There are fewer than 700 mountain gorillas left in the
wild, and none has ever survived in captivity. The International
Gorilla Conservation Programme and its partners are working to save
mountain gorillas and the forest where they live. Thanks to their
efforts, the mountain gorilla population has increased by 11% since
1990.
 Common name: Mountain gorilla
Scientific name: Gorilla beringei beringei
Habitat: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Location: Central Africa
Status IUCN: Critically Endangered (CR C2a(ii))
Population: Approx. 700 individuals
No more than 700 mountain gorillas live in the Virunga range of
volcanic mountains on the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC), Rwanda and Uganda, and in the Bwindi-Impenetrable National Park
in Uganda. Over the 100 years since their discovery, these animals have
had to
endure uncontrolled hunting, war, disease, destruction of their forest
habitat, and capture for the illegal pet trade. These factors led to a
dramatic decline in numbers. Indeed, there were fears that the mountain
gorilla would become extinct in the same century it was discovered.
With the alarm raised, dedicated conservation initiatives have ensured
that numbers of this critically endangered mountain gorilla are now
slowly increasing.
Species Description
The mountain gorilla has longer hair, jaws and teeth than the lowland
subspecies, but slightly shorter arms. Adult males grow a patch of
silver hair on their back and hips, which has earned them the name
'silverback'.
Size
Mountain gorillas are generally larger than other subspecies. On average, adult males weigh 160 kg, and adult females 98 kg.
Major habitat type: Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests
Biogeographic realm: Afrotropical
Habitat countries: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Uganda
Geographical location: Central Africa
Ecological region: Albertine Rift Montane Forest
Resources
For
further information on gorillas, or details on how you can further
support the conservation effort, check out the following websites:
 
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