Experts estimate that nearly 2,000 chimpanzees may be lost to the wildlife trade each year. Chimpanzees are currently listed as endangered by the IUCN (the western chimpanzee, one of four subspecies, is listed as critically endangered), and their numbers are still declining. While chimpanzee conservation has many components, researchers say genetic studies are an increasingly […]
Tag: Chimpanzee
For tool-wielding chimps of Ebo Forest, logging plan is a ‘death sentence’
Fifteen years ago, Ekwoge Abwe was trekking through Ebo Forest in Cameroon when he heard something cracking in the distance. He scanned the forest, searching for the source of the sound. “One of my local assistants said, ‘Those are chimpanzees cracking nuts,’” Abwe, a biologist, postdoctoral fellow at San Diego Zoo Global and manager of […]
For the world’s rarest gorillas, a troubled sanctuary
George Mgbang battles to rein in his anger whenever he encounters wire snares, newly cleared farms, empty cartridges, hunting camps, loggers, or shotgun-wielding hunters during his regular patrols in Afi Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary (AMWS). For the past eight years, Mgbang, 42, has toiled to stop these threats from taking over the 100-square-kilometer (39-square-mile) sanctuary in […]
Petition: Help Free Gorilla Kept in Department Store Zoo for Thirty Years!
While chimpanzees and bonobos are understood to be the animals that are most closely related to human beings, gorillas are not far off. From one look at a gorilla, it’s not hard to imagine. Gorillas are highly intelligent; they often use tools to perform various tasks and have a well-developed communication system. They also exhibit […]
Images from a dropped phone reveal the ugly truth behind bonobo trafficking
In the early morning hours of Feb. 23, a gunshot rang out from deep within a Congolese forest. And then another, followed by one last bang. The shots were fired about 10 kilometers (6 miles) outside the village of Mondombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an experienced anti-poaching team from local NGO Conserv […]
Wild Animals Such as Chimpanzees and Honeybees Also Practice Social Distancing to Prevent the Spread of Disease
In a world with over 7 billion people and cities with populations of millions of people, we are so accustomed to being surrounded by our communities and other people that the idea of social distancing seems very novel. And it sort of is… for humans. In this most recent age of technology and development, we’ve […]
Mountain gorilla census reveals further increase in numbers
The outlook for eastern Africa’s mountain gorillas is growing brighter, as a recent census released on Dec. 16 shows that the subspecies’ numbers have risen since 2011. Scientists believe there are now at least 1,063 mountain gorillas living in the wild. Tara Stoinski, the CEO and chief scientific officer of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, […]
Petition: Ask Myrtle Beach Safari to Stop Exploiting Animals on Social Media!
Myrtle Beach Safari is under fire for exploiting animals on their social media accounts. A video went viral of one of their chimps scrolling through Instagram. At first glance, it might appear funny or adorable, but it’s actually quite terrible. There are multiple reasons why this kind of post is dangerous. Firstly, it’s the exploitation […]
