The Uganda Wildlife Authority just launched the "Friend-a-Gorilla” campaign on Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. These endangered gorillas of Uganda are “appearing” online as part of a fundraising program that the Ugandan Wildlife Authority hopes will help save the endangered species.

The Wildlife Authority is hoping that fans will befriend a gorilla on Facebook or MySpace or follow it on Twitter in return for a minimum donation of $1. The money will be used to hire extra rangers to protect the gorillas and safeguard their habitat.

According to the website:

With only about 720 mountain gorillas left in the world, Uganda - having a little over half the worlds population of this highly endangered species - has stepped up efforts to involve the whole world in our conservation initiative. In doing so we hope to educate the public, spark your interest, and have you become a close friend of these endangered gentle giants.

If you become a friend of the gorillas, you will receive regular updates about your chosen gorilla, have your gorilla's picture on your home page and receive gorilla trivia — like the fact that the name is derived from a Greek word, gorillai, meaning "hairy women." Come on! How else would you have known that??

Visit http://friendagorilla.org for more info.