Catastrophic ape decline in western equatorial Africa

Peter D. Walsh (), Kate A. Abernethy, Magdalena Bermejo, Rene Beyers, Pauwel De Wachter, Marc Ella Akou, Bas Huijbregts, Daniel Idiata Mambounga, Andre Kamdem Toham, Annelisa M. Kilbourn, Sally A. Lahm, Stefanie Latour, Fiona Maisels, Christian Mbina, Yves Mihindou, Sosthène Ndong Obiang, Ernestine Ntsame Effa, Malcolm P. Starkey, Paul Telfer, Marc Thibault, Caroline E. G. Tutin, Lee J. T. White and David S. Wilkie
Additional contact information
Peter D. Walsh: Guyot Hall
Kate A. Abernethy: Centre International de Recherches Médicales
Magdalena Bermejo: Universidad de Barcelona
Rene Beyers: Wildlife Conservation Society
Pauwel De Wachter: WWF Central Africa Regional Program Office
Marc Ella Akou: WWF Central Africa Regional Program Office
Bas Huijbregts: WWF Central Africa Regional Program Office
Daniel Idiata Mambounga: Ministère de l'Economie Forestière, des Eaux, de la Pêche chargé de l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature, Direction de la Faune et de la Chasse
Andre Kamdem Toham: WWF Central Africa Regional Program Office
Annelisa M. Kilbourn: Wildlife Conservation Society
Sally A. Lahm: Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale
Stefanie Latour: Wildlife Conservation Society
Fiona Maisels: Wildlife Conservation Society
Christian Mbina: Wildlife Conservation Society
Yves Mihindou: Wildlife Conservation Society
Sosthène Ndong Obiang: Ministère de l'Economie Forestière, des Eaux, de la Pêche chargé de l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature, Direction de la Faune et de la Chasse
Ernestine Ntsame Effa: Ministère de l'Economie Forestière, des Eaux, de la Pêche chargé de l'Environnement et de la Protection de la Nature, Direction de la Faune et de la Chasse
Malcolm P. Starkey: Wildlife Conservation Society
Paul Telfer: Centre International de Recherches Médicales
Marc Thibault: WWF Central Africa Regional Program Office
Caroline E. G. Tutin: Centre International de Recherches Médicales
Lee J. T. White: Wildlife Conservation Society
David S. Wilkie: Wildlife Conservation Society

Nature, 2003, vol. 422, issue 6932, 611-614

Abstract: Abstract Because rapidly expanding human populations have devastated gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) and common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) habitats in East and West Africa, the relatively intact forests of western equatorial Africa have been viewed as the last stronghold of African apes1. Gabon and the Republic of Congo alone are thought to hold roughly 80% of the world's gorillas2 and most of the common chimpanzees1. Here we present survey results conservatively indicating that ape populations in Gabon declined by more than half between 1983 and 2000. The primary cause of the decline in ape numbers during this period was commercial hunting, facilitated by the rapid expansion of mechanized logging. Furthermore, Ebola haemorrhagic fever is currently spreading through ape populations in Gabon and Congo and now rivals hunting as a threat to apes. Gorillas and common chimpanzees should be elevated immediately to ‘critically endangered’ status. Without aggressive investments in law enforcement, protected area management and Ebola prevention, the next decade will see our closest relatives pushed to the brink of extinction.

Date: 2003
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DOI: 10.1038/nature01566

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