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Hope for great apes in the Congo
By Emma Duncan, WWF
Gland, Switzerland - The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is home to more
species of great apes than any other country in the world, with two of them
(Grauer's
gorilla and the Pygmy chimpanzee or bonobo) found nowhere else. However, civil
conflict and political instability have left the Congolese national parks
network in a state of dereliction. Gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos receive
little protection across most of the country and remain under constant threat
from hunting and habitat destruction. As a result, many biologists fear great
apes may become extinct in DRC, and indeed the rest of Africa, within the next
20 years.
But hope is in sight. From 26-28 September, nearly 200 experts from all parts of
the country joined international conservationists and government Ministers in
Kinshasa to prepare the first National Great Apes Survival Plan for DRC.
Recognising that conservation is apolitical, the three-day workshop concluded
that global interest in saving gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos from
extinction could play an important role in the reconstruction of DRC. Many of
the national parks providing refuge for great apes are located in the rebel-held
north-east of the country, yet this extraordinary gathering brought together
conservationists and biologists from all over the country, representing one of
the first truly nationwide meetings to be held in DRC since the war started.
After hearing reports from the field and the results of recent studies, the
participants worked to define priority actions to save the great apes from
extinction.
Key recommendations from the workshop include the need: to survey little-known
areas to establish which apes survive where; to rehabilitate national parks that
are key refuges for great apes (e.g. Maiko, Kahuzi-Biega); and to strengthen
existing laws protecting great apes. There was also a plea from participants to
ensure that development schemes are implemented for local communities living
around great ape habitat.
The workshop in Kinshasa was organised by the Central Africa Regional Programme
for the Environment (a USAID-funded initiative) and held under the auspices of
the UNEP/UNESCO Great Apes Survival Project. Several non-governmental
organizations, including WWF and the International Fund for Animal Welfare,
helped finance the workshop. However, much work now remains to be done.
"In many ways, planning is the easy part," said Dr Peter J.
Stephenson, of WWF International's Africa & Madagascar Programme. "The
challenge now is to find the resources to implement the workshop?s
recommendations and to put in place projects on the ground that provide direct
support for ape conservation."
"The new WWF African Great Apes Programme helped fund the meeting in
Kinshasa, and now we will work with Congolese authorities to find ways to
implement their great apes survival plan. To that end, we hope to start new
field projects shortly and to do our best to help ensure there is a future for
gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos in this remarkable country," added Dr
Stephenson.
For further information:
PJ Stephenson
Co-ordinator, WWF African Great Apes Programme
E-mail: PJStephenson@wwfint.org
Links to related articles: Mountain
gorillas of Rwanda
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