The Traverse Plush

Per our partners at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, the gorillas are tracked to ensure their ongoing protection and  to better understand their behavior, ecology, genetic diversity, and habitat requirements—all of which is essential to developing effective conservation strategies. Their holistic approach is founded on four key pillars: daily gorilla protection, scientific research, training conservationists in Africa, and helping local communities to ensure the future of gorilla conservation for generations to come. The Fossey Fund protects two of the four gorilla subspecies: the critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the endangered mountain gorillas in the Virunga mountains of Rwanda. 

Learn more about our partner’s work protecting gorillas here. 

The gorillas are not physically tagged, so tracking consists of teams of trackers following the trail of the gorilla groups they monitor until they find them each day and then they use GPS devices to gather and record information. 

Learn more about how gorillas are tracked here. 

Not at all! The gorillas have become indifferent to the presence of the trackers and to ensure their ongoing health, trackers spend just enough time with the gorillas to ensure they are all present and healthy.

Silverback gorillas are capable of lifting more than 1763 lb (800 kg)—twice as much as a physically fit and well-trained human!

The average silverback gorilla weighs up to 430 lb (195 kg), standing up to 6 ft (1.8 m) tall on two legs.

Running on all fours, gorillas can reach speeds of up to 25 mph (40.2 kph) in short bursts, much faster than the 8 mph (12.9 kph) speed of the average human male.

Wipe with damp sponge or cloth, using warm water and mild soap. Once dry, brush to restore the plush and proceed with snuggling.

Your plush had quite the long journey to get to you! If it appears squished from lack of legroom during shipping, give it a good fluff to help it return to its normal, cuddly shape. Still need help? Email us at support@myfahlo.com.