This year the Members' Meeting took place in Leipzig, where 69 members (a record!) gathered on Saturday, 9 May. Thanks to the coordination of Martha Robbins, the event was hosted in the foyer of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA). After the welcome by Burkhard Bröcker and our host, Martha Robbins, Laura Hagemann gave a brief introduction to the MPI-EVA and its history before guiding us through the day's programme. We heard two fascinating presentations. The first was given by Katja Liebal on "Cognition in Great Apes" in which she challenged the long-held assumption that gorillas are "nice but dumb". The second presentation, given in English by Charlotte King, examined evolutionary aspects of "locomotion in gorillas".

Subsequently, Angela Meder reported on the projects that B&RD has recently supported and provided updates on current developments in the gorilla regions. Particular attention was given - accompanied by many photos - to the successful release of four adult Grauer's gorillas females at Mt. Tshiaberimu. The animals had previously lived at the GRACE Center. The session concluded with a video report from Claude Sikubwabo, our on-site manager.

The day ended at the traditional Leipzig restaurant "Auerbachs Keller" where everyone enjoyed good food and lively conversations.

On Sunday, 10 May, participants visited the gorillas at the zoo. Expert guides provided detailed insights into the life of the gorillas and the other inhabitants of "Pongoland" (chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans).

We would like to express sincere thanks to all those who contributed to making the 27^th Members' Meeting of the Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe a rewarding and enriching experience once again.

Eva Schweikart