Project MaKoko
Koko showed the world how deeply gorillas think and feel. Yet in the wild they are critically endangered, and in captivity many spend their lives in small enclosures far from any forest. MaKoko offers them a different future: spacious forest and savannah habitats where rescued orphans and others able to adapt prepare for release into the wider reserve, while those who remain find a lifelong home in nature.
Status
The project is being designed by the Gorilla Foundation in partnership with the Aspinall Foundation in concert with Stantec architects and engineers. The Aspinall Foundation has 4 decades of experience rewilding gorillas within the Lesio Louna Reserve in the Republic of Congo, where the MaKoko Gorilla Sanctuary will be established. The Gorilla Foundation has over 4 decades of experience communicating with gorillas Koko, Michael and Ndume.
We are currently creating a 3D model of the sanctuary to show people exactly what it will look like and how it will function, before we build it. 3D visualizations will include a gorilla’s eye view of what it feels like to travel from captivity to freedom and live the life they were made to live. Once the design and visualization is complete, we will be seeking a 4th partner to fund the sanctuary’s construction and operation.
