On the Survival of Great Apes and Their Habitat Reviewed work(s): Source: Population and Development Review, Vol.

32, No. 2 (Jun., 2006), pp. 393-396 Published by: Population Council Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20058893 . Accessed: 29/09/2012 01:26
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Documents

393
on is generally absent The majority in of exist allowances and family allowances in practically is a there every country, yet in the relative deal of variation level, good on income level, type of family depending and ages of the children. The presence children the of a may spouse or dependent dependent to a tax reduction lead for household, for example, by of non-taxable income, of tax deductions allowances may for each tax

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On the Survival
Great Apes and

of

Their Habitat

The

nonhuman

Great

Apes?gorillas,

chimpanzees

and

bonobos,

and

orangutans?are

the

primates genetically closest to humans, fellow members of the hominid family (hominidaej. They share more than 96 percent of human DNA (more than 98 percent for chimpanzees).
That ness, relatedness, social along with and many similarities has organization, animals^even, as humans. (One behavior, in the view statement on such dimensions as intelligence, self-aware them a special status among argued for according them in the same moral of some ethicists, for placing on Great Apes, the Declaration calls of this position,

nonhuman community

for "the extension of the community of equals to include all great apes: human beings, chim
panzees, bonobos, gorillas and orang-utans"?at a minimum with protection of life and

liberty and prohibition of deliberate infliction of pain. See ?http://www.greatapeproject.org?

394
and Advocates this status

DOCUMENTS

?http://www.personhood.org/main/org.html.?)

for

point

out

that

past exclusions of particular human groups from moral consider ability were based on what
now are seen as wholly invidious arguments.

Extinction would render such debate futile. All great ape populations except humans are in steep decline as a result of loss and fragmentation of their natural habitat (tropical rainforests in Central Africa and Southeast Asia) and in some regions armed poaching and hunting for bushmeat. Bonobos (DR Congo), mountain gorillas (areas bordering Rwanda, Uganda, and DR Congo), and orangutans (Sumatra and Borneo) are especially endangered. Since 2001 conservation efforts have been coordinated by the Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP), which brings together representatives of the 23 countries with great ape popula tions, the UN Environment Programme, and some NGOs. The first ministerial meeting of GRASP was held in Kinshasa in September 2005. It issued the Kinshasa Declaration on Great Apes. A more operational document that also emerged from Kinshasa was the Global Strategy for the Survival of Great Apes and Their Habitat. An annex to this document, pro viding information on the present status of great ape populations, is reproduced in part be low. (The omitted section describes the conservation activities of various UN bodies.) The
Kinshasa meeting materials can be found asp?. at ?http://www.unep.org/grasp/Meetings/IGM kinshasai'Outcomes I index-reports,

Great
1.

apes: The

threat of extinction

starkest of

terms when

whole

one

is environmental sustainability" "Ensuring Goals of eight Millennium Development at the Declaration with associated adopted the United September sity and Nations 2000. forest Millennium The Summit in of biodiver protection as one resources is identified achieving and that social its goal and The benefits.

are species is precisely This are

threatened the to be

or groups species extinction. with in which Indeed, the the

situation found of the today. great

great apes of extinction threat immediate main reason

future,

is without

in the apes, the any doubt

of Plan

the means

of economic

for elaborating and implement strategy. great ape survival ing a global are three genera 3. There of great apes:

associated of

Sum of the World Implementation in mit on Sustainable adopted Development, in September 2002, similarly Johannesburg emphasizes role critical ment and which plays "biodiversity, in overall sustainable develop is essential eradication, poverty that and to the a

Go and orangutans. chimpanzees, gorillas, into western and eastern rillas are divided from Nigeria in ten countries found species, two spe to Uganda. comprise Chimpanzees across found cies: the common chimpanzee, 21 countries in west, or central and east Africa; and found Congo. on the donesia 4. the only bonobo,

to

our planet, human well-being lihood and cultural integrity Summit World participants diate actions of biodiversity subregional 2. The significantly loss at and national the

live

pygmy in the Democratic

chimpanzee, of the Republic Asia, in In Sumatra

The of people."1 for imme called to reduce global, levels. the rate

live Orangutans of Borneo islands and The

in south-east and

regional,

east Malaysia. Survival Species Conservation

Commission

of

the World and the Jo De the

Union

in the Millennium hannesburg velopment,

loss of biodiversity, Declaration Declaration is presented on

as mentioned

Sustainable in possibly

the western both categorized as "endangered eastern i.e., overall", gorilla in the a very high risk of extinction facing wild in the near are future. Three as particular en form and

(IUCN) has and the gorilla

populations of the World Summit on Sustainable De Report South Africa, 26 August Johannesburg, velopment, Sales 4 September 2002 (United Nations publication, No. E. 03. II. A. 1 and corrigendum), chap. I, resolu tion 1, annex, para. 44.

dangered". in the far west, Bwindi forms 5. As Species

categorized are the These and in the both

"critically Cross River the mountain

far east. and bonobos, the catego

for chimpanzees Commission Survival

in 2000

Documents

395
bonobo each of as "en attributes physiology, relate to genes, and social of ge of

rized both the chimpanzee and the as "endangered". In the former case, the four subspecies is also categorized dangered". 6. The egorized

individual

and organisation netic inheritance,

morphology and capacities In terms behaviour.

Survival Commission Species as the Sumatran orangutan and the Bornean overall". on Borneo The

cat "criti

cally endangered", tan as "endangered recognized subspecies

orangu three cat

are also

on aver their heritage 96 per cent, with age around chimpanzees as high as 98.4 per cent. 11. At the level of individuals, great apes a wide behaviour, range of intelligent deploy including tion and They tool making and use, food selec the use of plants for self-medication. with communicate facial ex sounds,

share great apes with human beings:

much

as "endangered". egorized 7. In short, it can day?at the dawn of one of the every risk of extinction, future or at best in a recent ample, eas in Africa and were populations cent of these per 8. Most human tions of the activities:

be

asserted

that

to

the new

millennium? is at high immediate

great ape species in the either within

50 years. For ex ar of 24 protected survey south-east Asia, great ape to be declining in 96 found to apes result from human increasing popula on their habitat, civil wars, threats or the live animal trade, ape can decimate of forests.

and displays, and in cap gestures pressions, have been either tivity taught language, by or by using and computer signing symbols ex based programmes. They also manifestly a range of emotions, perience social life of and grief. The been studied It has in detail, been including great joy apes has in chim

sites.

panzees. rich and are

encroaching for meat poaching diseases such and

complex. and can and long-lasting, demonstrations of tool use. Older intense care for younger and siblings. territorial Males defence,

especially to be enormously found bonds Maternal-offspring include siblings

as ebola which

more

of recent analyses that indicate 70 per cent of the habitat of each of the African has been ape great species devel affected negatively by infrastructural than opment. For the orangutan, the correspond is 64 per cent. Future scenarios sug

populations, 9. Results

the destruction

for hunting

cooperate and form

for dominance. alliances The begin political are evident in the way of morality that nings excessive of a subordinate harassment by a dominant unease differences, between species. phisticated brains, strong humans Modern by animal other for different will group instance evoke of expressions Cultural members. in tool of science, on that brain use, the using occur same so

ing figure that the annual loss of undisturbed gest habitat will be greater than 2 per cent per year in the case of the African great apes, and 5 per cent in the case of the orangutan in south-east Asia. that less gest in Africa habitat By than 2030, the scenarios sug ape im 10 per cent of great will remain free of the development. the corresponding

populations cognitive

imaging

systems

is demonstrating similarities in the and great apes.

working are there of

function

12. Given bridge linking

pacts of infrastructural case of the orangutan, ure is less than by

In the fig are and ape

this, great apes form a unique to the natural humans world.

supported

1 per cent. These figures estimates of habitat loss independently by great

Understanding haviour thus

made degradation field researchers.2

and be great ape ecology a continuing opportu provides we to appreciate for humans how nity as and our own precarious evolved, position one of the 10-15 million or more of species were to lose any great ape feel that we were people would to our own ori part of the bridge destroying it a part of our own humanity. gins, and with 13. Great indicator apes also act as key the planet. species, many for endangered species ests which the great resource for humans, ecosystems. inhabit The are for a vital in ape are If we

Special
10. Great which

significance

of great apes

gives 2The

a spectrum of attributes, apes have them These special significance.

Great Apes?the Road Ahead. A GLOBIO Perspective on the Impacts of Structural Development on the Great Apes (UNEP GRID - Arendal, Norway, September 2002).

apes

and sign

a reduction that the forests

numbers being used

is a sure

unsustainably.

396
14. Ape other habitats are vital to humans and to illegal commercial gal which involves lure largely traders bushmeat great countries its toll, with through the new and

Documents

hunters. trade?a

The

ille of

many

as a source of food, wa species and timber and as a regulator ter, medicine of our changing climate. Apes play a key part in maintaining tropical ating allow forests, light gaps the health and diversity seeds and of cre

unchecked

portion ape meat?continues within and between in Africa. ebola Disease

by dispersing in the forest to grow and

neighbouring also taking ting a swathe and lations,

is cut

outbreaks

canopy replenish of forest

which the

seedlings vital been

ape and human popu risk of human-induced

ecosystem. 15. The has systems environment quested Africa's tems

importance

eco

acknowledged ministers who "the New

recently

by African re for

in ape communities visited epidemics by tourists. civil unrest and a break Finally, war, ex in law and order have down exacerbated isting problems and Indonesia. 33. The in several African countries

that

Development as one of the major areas tion."3 Similarly, the Environment South-East Asia and sustainably resources.4 logical

Partnership define forest of

ecosys interven

Ministers to manage diverse bio

of

agreed use wisely their

of the situation urgency clearly a higher It is al level of action. too late in many areas where ready great cannot extinct. If we apes are now generate a radical in the effectiveness increase of ef demands forts it will tions to protect be too of gorillas, great apes and their more late for many chimpanzees, local extinction habitats,

popula and bonobos

Great apes: Inadequacy current efforts

32. While been made, significant they have efforts not

of

orangutans. 34. Every

is a loss

to hu and That of the a

have

been

already to sufficient

a loss to the local community manity, torn in the ecology hole of the planet. a major new on behalf is why effort great with apes them and is both the communities timely and

associated appropriate.

great safeguard lentless pressures tinued dramatic bers and

the re apes and to prevent have which led to the con decline in both their num

distribution.

protected that they ment Even

great apes are Though in national law every country by there is a lack of enforce inhabit,

Need for a global strategy the survival of great apes

An important fort to protect and be the development 35. a global survival within populations natural ecosystems. efforts are being ion, where and would tegrated

for

ing, on pacts national

in most great ape range States. capacity in supposedly areas, protected poach and mining all have im illegal logging vulnerable law is also ape populations. to protect failing Inter

new in a major ef plank conserve great apes would and implementation of for all great strategy ape their dynamic, evolving, conservation Currently,

apes. All nonhuman dix I of CITES, which for primarily high monetary tach to captive

great apes are listed in appen bans international trade but the purposes, some people at acts as a constant

commercial value great which apes

in a piecemeal fash applied themselves present opportunities are available. resources Such efforts have a greater impact a systematic if they were approach while being Such in to a tai

within

defined globally problem, to local circumstances. lored 3 on the Environment for Kampala Declaration of the ninth session of the African Min Development on the Environment, isterial Conference held in 1-5 July 2002. Kampala, Uganda, 4Kota on the Environment, Kinabalu Resolution of the Association of South-East Asian Eighth Meeting Nations held in Kota Kinabalu, (ASEAN) Ministers, October 2000. Malaysia, strategy should also be

development be sympathetic nities. reviewed understanding conservation. The

integrated States of range and objectives to the needs of local commu

a global with the

global in the

should be regularly strategy and light of new knowledge of the priorities for great ape