1) Lina, congratulations on receiving the Siddle-Marsden Award from PASA (Pan African Sanctuary Alliance). You were actually awarded this honor in 2020 but they just had the ceremony in Malawi at the end of March. Can you tell us about the award and the work you did to receive this honor?

Dr. Lina: Thank you very much! Yes, indeed with the COVID pandemic PASA was not able to organize a conference, which is the reason why it took all this time. I received this award for my daily work while I was with the Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Center – treatment of animals as a veterinarian, care as a second mother to orphaned infant chimpanzees who were the victims of wildlife trafficking, and other work as needed at the sanctuary.

2) You’ve been with Gorilla Doctors since July 2021 – almost two years now! Tell us what it has been like. What is one thing that has really surprised you? What is your favorite thing about being a Gorilla Doctor?

Dr. Lina: The world in which we work (our hospital is the forest!) and being in the presence of the different groups of gorillas with their own particularities, I learn so much! There is not another place where I feel as calm in my mind as when I am in front of them.

3) You are based at our Tshivanga field station in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in DR Congo. Your health monitoring is focused on critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas. What would you like people to know about these magnificent animals?

Dr. Lina : I wish to appeal to everyone’s conscience that we all be concerned in the protection and survival of these magnificent creatures. We are all called to participate in communicating the value of these animals to future generations.

Q&A in French

1) Lina, congratulations on receiving the PASA Siddle-Marsden Award. You actually received this honor in 2020, but they just held the ceremony in Malawi last week. Can you tell us about the award and the work you did to receive this honor?

Dr. Lina: Thank you very much! Yes, indeed, with the COVID pandemic; PASA had not yet organized a conference; which is why it took so long. I received this award for my daily work while I was at the Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Center – treating animals as a veterinarian, caring as a second mother to orphaned baby chimpanzees who were victims of wildlife trafficking, and other necessary work at the sanctuary.

2) You’ve been with Gorilla Doctors since July 2021 – almost two years now! Tell us how it’s been. What’s one thing that’s really surprised you? What’s your favorite thing about being a Gorilla Doctor?

Dr. Lina: The world in which we work (the forest clinic), my presence in front of the different groups of gorillas with particularities, I learn more in their presence, there is no place where I feel calm in my mind as in front of them.

3) You are based at our Tshivanga field station in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in DR Congo. Your health monitoring focuses on the critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas. What would you like people to know about these magnificent animals?

Dr. Lina: I want to raise awareness among everyone that we are all involved in the protection and survival of these magnificent creatures. We are all called upon to participate in communicating the value of these animals to future generations.

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