THE PROBLEM
WHAT IS TRULY HAPPENING TO THE APES?
Endangered Apes are proceeding to become extinct all over the planet. The less aware we are of the situation, the worse it is going to get. Multiple factors are playing a role in their extinction. The most common threat (to not just endangered apes, but endangered animals in general) is the human population. More causes to the extinction of apes include climate change, habitat destruction, pollution, and diseases.
HUMAN EFFECTS
"This truly is the 11th hour for many of these creatures," said University of Illinois anthropology professor Paul Garber, who co-led the study. The population expansion for humans is effecting animals all over the globe. Some don't want to admit it, but humans are a major factor in species becoming endangered. There are about 5 billion humans living in countries with primates. People hunt everywhere. Whether it is a hobby or for survival, they are out there. They might not be harming any endangered species, but when you take out any animal in the food chain, the entire food web gets messed up. With humans out there killing animals, it all trickles down the line and eventually effects the endangered apes.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate change has a huge impact on the population of endangered apes. The more the climate changes, the harder it is to adapt. It is getting increasingly more difficult to save endangered species with changes in the climate. Climate change is thought of to just have the temperatures rise, but it is way more than that. It doesn't only affect plants and animals in the wild, but it can also help other factors eliminate endangered species. For example, if the climate in an area changes and the temperatures start to rise, then invasive species could survive there. An invasive species is an animal or bug that doesn't have any predators in that area. They can start harming plants and wipe out habitats. Climate change can also have an impact on starting more wildfires and even spreading more diseases.
HABITAT DESTRUCTION
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All around the world there is a concern with forests disappearing. What people don't realize is that it isn't just any trees getting cut down, it's the habitats of many wild creatures. Humans have destroyed so many habitats for their own good, not even to take a quick thought about how it affects others. About 90 percent of all primates- the group that contains monkeys, lemurs, lorids, galagos, tarsiers, and apes (as well as humans)- survive in tropical forests which are quickly disappearing. An organization, the IUNC, has a program that is here to help save endangered apes. They have estimated that almost 50 percent of the primate species around the world are at a high risk of extinction. People have discovered many ways to cut down and clear and area of land faster, but they don't understand how their "better" methods lead to more destruction. The traditional slash and burn method to cut down trees and burn debris leaves the land empty and lifeless. It takes a couple of years for the trees to regenerate. Commercial plantations are also kicking habitats to the side of the road. When farmers grow cash crops, they take up huge areas of land. This destroys extensive areas of forest land.
POLLUTION
Pollution is a serious problem all over the globe. It isn't just humans that are effected by pollution. Plants and animals are also significantly harmed and killed by pollution. There are many actions that humans do unintentionally that spreads pollution. Jobs are a major factor in pollution. Mining, oil systems, and gas operations all create soil and water pollution which can spread through groundwater and rivers.
DISEASES
Diseases can harm and kill lots of wildlife. Chimpanzees are one of our closest relatives. This closeness in genetics leads to them also sharing the ability to have many diseases that we can have. Before, animals and primates weren't in contact with many viruses or bacteria. Their immune systems were unable to fight off these diseases forming inside their bodies. As habitats are being destroyed, chimpanzees are getting closer to humans, Thus resulting in increasing the risk of transmission of diseases. The communities of chimpanzees have been invaded by human diseases. Some including influenza epidemics, pneumonia and other contagious ailments, all that were of human origin. In Central Africa, there are signs that the Mountain Gorilla is following the passage of the EBOLA virus.