Eastern Lowland Gorilla by artists Gillie and Marc

LOCATIONS

EDITION 1 - SINGAPORE - 19 May 2023 - 18 May 2024
Gardens By The Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
Visit the sculpture, click for map >

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EDITION 2 - MELBOURNE - PERMANENT
Melbourne Zoo, Elliott Ave, Parkville VIC 3052
Visit the sculpture, click for map >

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CLICK HERE TO DONATE DIRECTLY TO WWF >

NAME
Elombe

TITLE
Love The Eastern Lowland Gorilla

GENDER
Male

AGE
25

FOUND
East Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

CONSERVATION STATUS
Critically Endangered

This 25-year-old male is the head of his family. With his beautiful silver fur on his back, he is easily identified as their leader. Though he is big and strong and a force to be reckoned with, he is a peaceful leader. He prefers to live in harmony, making sure that everyone in his family is well cared for and protected. This gentle giant will go to any lengths to support his family and keep them from danger.

Also known as Grauer’s gorilla, the eastern lowland gorilla is the largest out of the four gorilla species and one of our closest relatives, sharing 98% of our DNA. Their fur is jet black, and the males develop beautiful silver fur on their backs as they mature, giving them the name "silverback." They spend most of their time eating their favourite foods, which include fruits, leaves, stems, bark, and, on occasion, small insects such as ants and termites.

Eastern lowland gorillas are very social and peaceful animals. They live in groups, from 2 to over 40 members, mainly female and led by a dominant male. About a third of the groups have two full-grown males, creating a harem. Females and males reach sexual maturity at different ages: 8 years old for females and 12 years old for males. A mother will give birth to one baby at a time, whom she will breastfeed for about three years. The baby will stay close to its mother for protection, even when they start to walk at 35 weeks old. They will stay with her for three or four years before finding their own community once they reach sexual maturity.

The number of eastern lowland gorillas is estimated to be around 3,800, a 50% decline since the 90s. However, decades of civil unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo hinder the accuracy of these figures. The gorillas face many threats concerning this such as funding cuts to their national parks, illegal mines being set up in their homes, and less monitoring making it easier for people to hunt gorillas for bushmeat. Mining for finite resources such as tin, gold, diamond, and coltan (used in mobile phones) is another cause of Civil Unrest. Illegal mining outcrops have become more prevalent, causing habitat loss and increased hunting for illegal pet trade. They have also faced massive habitat loss and fragmentation as people move in and destroy the gorilla's homes for livestock.

HOW TO HELP 
Inspired by animals that Gillie and Marc met on their travels, we invite the public to discover and interact with these beautiful creatures up close and personal – this allows audiences to connect, take photographs and share their favourite species with friends and family.

With more exposure comes more awareness and builds on the love we already have for animals around the world. With love comes a greater sense of urgency to create a change and save all endangered animals. 

​The sculpture will be aligned with the hashtag #LoveTheLast to raise unparalleled awareness about the sculpture’s cause across the globe.

To help protect these animals, please donate to the WWF: https://www.wwf.sg/