Great apes are humans’ closest relatives, but many are endangered by illegal trading. Here’s what needs to be done |
Great apes are humans’ closest relatives in the animal kingdom. As much as 98.8% of their DNA is shared, but while the number of humans living on the planet is increasing fast, other great apes are in decline. Five out of the seven species are now critically endangered.
The UN has estimated that about 22,000 great apes disappeared from their natural habitats between 2005 and 2011. Adults are mostly killed, their meat and body parts sold for bushmeat, traditional medicine or, in some cases, traditional ceremonies.
Babies and juvenile apes, on the other hand, command a much higher price alive. They are also easier to smuggle across borders. Seizures and confiscations of illegal animal trades are rare and often poorly documented.
Part of the problem is great apes are very attractive. Ever since the first animals arrived at European zoos, these species have been popular with visitors. Some, like Barcelona zoo’s white gorilla Snowflake or Twycross zoo’s “PG Tips chimps”, even became celebrities.
Through the decades, great apes have remained an acquisition target for some zoos and animal attractions, sometimes by dodging the rules. The desire to keep “exotic” animals as pets also remains a key driver of the illegal global wildlife trade.
Social media has made the illegal trade in great apes much more efficient: sellers and buyers can use online platforms to exchange messages about prices and transport.
For years, conservation NGOs such as the Jane Goodall Institute,........