The Sad Plight of the Chimpanzee and How You Can Help
Most people, particularly those interested in wildlife, have heard about the incredible similarity of DNA between chimps and humans. Yet a new study has found that about 99.4 percent of the most important genetic factors in humans and chimps are identical! Unfortunately, despite this similarity, our actions – those of humans – are leading to the extinction of chimps in the wild.
Chimpanzee Population in the Wild
Although exact figures are hard to determine, scientists estimate that there are only 200,000 or so chimpanzees in the wild. In the Ivory Coast, some estimate that chimp population has declined by 90% over the past 20 years!
The Causes
There are several causes of this depopulation, with one of the most critical being that of loss of natural habitat. As African human population expands, people co-opt chimpanzee forests for farmland, housing and roads. Further, deforestation from logging also does severe damage to the “chimp land.” Currently, 70% of chimpanzee habitable areas are affected by human development. At current rate of expansion, that percentage is projected to grow to 90% in just 20 years!
In addition to loss of habitat, many baby and young chimpanzees are captured for pets. And during the capture, many adult family members are killed, which, unfortunately, makes sense. Just think about it…what would you do if someone tried to take away your children? You’d defend them…with your life, if necessary. In fact, Dr. Jane Goodall believes that 10 chimps are killed in the capture of each baby.
Further compounding the problem is hunting. Chimps are hunted for their meat – colloquially known as bush meat –which is a delicacy that fetches a high price for the hunter. It’s estimated that over 4,000 chimpanzees are killed for meat each year!
Are There Solutions?
There are a variety of actions society can take to help protect endangered chimpanzees. These include the implementation of sustainable logging practices and the outlaw and enforcement of a ban on chimp hunting and capture. In addition, organizations like the World Bank could get involved to offer financial remuneration in exchange for the protection of chimps. This could go a long way in economically challenged areas of Africa.
Finally, and this sounds somewhat counterintuitive, the development of sustainable ecotourism could help. If villages are financially incentivized to preserve chimp habitats, the chimps’ chance of survival goes up.
Learn More and Get Involved
If you’d like to learn more about how you can help, go to www.janegoodall.org or read our article on Jane Goodall to learn about her work and findings.
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