Tara Stoinski, the Fossey Fund’s president and chief scientific officer.

“From the outset, the mission of this project has focused on creating a space to engage the many stakeholders in conservation-students, scientists, tourists, conservation partners, community members-to advance our collective goal of saving gorillas and, more broadly, the planet,” says Dr. Feared by Dian Fossey to be extinct by the year 2000, mountain gorillas represent a rare conservation success story, with the population in the region growing from a low of 250 in the 1980s to more than 600 today. Their work combines daily, boots-on-the ground protection and study of individual gorillas with people-centered programs aimed at training the next generation of African conservationists and addressing the basic needs of the people who share the gorillas’ forest home through food and water security, livelihood and education programs. “To see my name alongside hers on the walls of this beautiful campus, and to know I’m doing my part to protect endangered gorillas and continue Dian’s legacy, is simply amazing.”įounded by the legendary Dian Fossey, whose life and ultimately death were portrayed in the movie “Gorillas in the Mist,” the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund is the world’s largest and longest-running organization dedicated entirely to gorilla conservation. “Dian Fossey has always been a hero of mine, and so it’s been the honor of a lifetime to support this project,” says Ellen DeGeneres. The Ellen Campus, which is now open to the public, is the vision of the award-winning MASS Design Group and has been named one of Africa’s 10 most anticipated architectural projects and featured on 60 Minutes. Ellen and Portia’s lead gift enabled the Fossey Fund to move forward on an ambitious, 20-year dream project to build a permanent home in Rwanda aimed at accelerating their science and conservation work. Ellen DeGeneres and Jeff Kleeman executive produced for A Very Good Production.When DeGeneres and her wife, Portia de Rossi, announced the creation of The Ellen Fund, a nonprofit that works to protect endangered animals, they also named the first recipient-the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “Saving the Gorillas” is directed by Abigail Harper and executive produced by Christopher Collins, Lydia Tenaglia, and Craig H. “Saving the Gorillas” also marks a new genre for the talk show host, as she is primarily associated with comedy. In 2020, toward the end of its 22-season run, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” became mired in controversy with allegations of mistreatment and misconduct behind the scenes. This documentary marks DeGeneres’s return to television after her long running self-titled talk show came to an end in May 2022. “Their impact on conservation and the immediate community in Rwanda is an inspiration for all.” Shepherd, executive vice president at Zero Point Zero Production. “We are so thrilled to partner with Ellen, Portia, and their team to bring this amazing Gorilla conservation journey to life on screen,” said Craig H. The documentary showcases the challenges that went along with this large-scale project, including earthquakes and COVID-19. The journey began as a birthday gift from DeGeneres’s wife, Portia de Rossi, and turned into a far larger endeavor as they delved into architectural and landscaping plans to bring the campus to life. “There’s nothing that keeps you more present, more in the moment, than sitting with gorillas.” “Every single thing has led me to just have a big enough platform to say, ‘Look at work Dian Fossey did,’” DeGeneres says.

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