With 500 Pounds of Luggage, Disney Researcher Packs Up for Trip to Africa

Imagine the packing list for a month-long visit to Africa. Wet wipes? Check. Binoculars? Check. Basketballs? What?

Basketballs are just one of the many items packed by Disney’s Animal Program research biologist Tammie Bettinger, Ph.D. for an upcoming visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She and other researchers will be assisting young gorillas at the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) Center, a facility designed to rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce orphaned gorillas back into the wild.

While efforts to protect the endangered primates and their natural habitat have increased in recent years, illegal trafficking, poaching and habitat destruction have led to a rise in orphaned gorillas in eastern Africa. The GRACE Center provides these young animals with a place to grow and learn, experience the forest and develop the social and survival skills necessary to live in the wild.

So why the basketballs?

According to Dr. Bettinger, conservation efforts are far more successful when the community takes an active interest. “The fate of the forest and the gorillas lies in the hands of the Congolese people,” she said. “As part of Disney’s effort to help establish GRACE, we are also committed to helping the local people so they may ultimately have all the skills needed to manage the program.”

Dr. Bettinger believes that by sharing basketballs, children’s books, school supplies and medical equipment, it’s easier for the team to strengthen friendships with those living near the center who are ultimately the region’s greatest stewards. “After a hard day of working in the field, everyone loves a game of basketball or soccer,” she said.

GRACE’s construction has also created new employment opportunities in diverse fields for the community. Facility maintenance, gorilla caretaker and ecoguards for the forest are among the numerous jobs available.

The first-ever rescue center in the DRC, GRACE became possible through funding from  the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International.

“GRACE is a team effort. Only together can we ensure that gorillas will have a future in the DRC,” said Dr. Bettinger.

Related articles

• First Birthday for a Special Gorilla at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (chipandco.com)
• Behind the Scenes: Wild Africa Trek (chipandco.com)

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