March 5, 2024
Club members were thrilled to hear Dr. Kirsten Gilardi speak about the work of "Wildlife Veterinarians". Unlike most veterinarians, for wildlife veterinarians their patients are wild animals, and their hospitals are the forest. She oversees programs and projects that focus on the health and welfare of primate populations, particularly mountain gorillas, in east-central Africa (Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda). These three countries have created parks to protect the mountain gorillas. Governments recognize the importance of protecting this species as they provide significant tourist income to a region that lacks much in economic activity. However, there are many challenges. These areas have a large human population (both outside and inside the parks) and there is continual political unrest and war.
The good news is that the mountain gorilla population is now 1,063 and is increasing! What an achievement. Congratulations.
Dr. Gilardi has been involved in wildlife veterinarian medicine for 30 years, focusing on primate care. At the Wildlife Health Center, Dr. Gilardi oversees programs and projects that focus on advancing the health of wildlife populations in balance with people and the environment, including Gorilla Doctors, where she is the executive director and leads a program that provides life-saving veterinary care to endangered gorillas in east-central Africa.
Rotarian Raemonde Bezenar, of The Rotary Club of Edmonton Riverview, has been an avid mountain gorilla advocate for years, led a Rotary International Global Grant that provided funding for the veterinarian education for two Gorilla Doctors: Dr. Adrien Emile Ntwari and Dr. Theophile Kiluba.
