When visitors flock to New York City during the holiday season, they expect to see vibrant store displays, ice skaters at Rockefeller Center, and perhaps a play on Broadway. But this year, they may be surprised when they look up and see larger-than-life apes atop the Manhattan skyline.
This is no King Kong remake. Mountain gorillas protected by The Dian Fossey Fund are being featured on a high-definition jumbotron in Times Square.
“Sharing more than 98% of our DNA, gorillas are wonderful ambassadors of the natural world,” said Dr. Tara Stoinski, CEO, president and chief scientific officer of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. “We are thrilled to see them in Times Square raising awareness of conservation in a big way.”
A 10-second video featuring mountain gorillas occupies more than 1,600 square feet of space at 1500 Broadway and 43rd Avenue. “The video invites viewers to make a connection between gorillas, their habitat – and our own quality of life,” Stoinski said. “Gorillas are gardeners of the second-largest forest we have left on Earth, and it’s one of our best natural defenses against climate change. Their fight for survival is really our own.”
The spot runs at least three times per hour through January 31. Alongside stunning photos of mountain gorillas of Rwanda, text reads, “My future is your future.” And then, “Save the planet, save me.” A unique URL, www.gorillafund.org/nyc, encourages viewers to donate to game-changing programs to save gorillas and the biodiversity of their habitats.
“We appreciate Neutron Media for making this valuable opportunity accessible to non-profits like the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund,” said Shari Henning, Fossey Fund chief advancement officer. “Money raised from this campaign will go directly to support our intensive people-centered programs that have made mountain gorillas a rare conservation success story.”
