The Future of Ape Conservation

It’s been 50 years since Jane Goodall stepped on the beach at Gombe, Tanzania to begin her study of wild chimpanzees. With that first step, the chimpanzee would become profoundly more than just a beast in a children’s book or a character in a Tarzan movie. Chimpanzees exhibited individual personalities and a wide range of emotions. They showed both empathy and aggression towards each other, a complex social structure, and cognitive thought. They were found to be both foragers and hunters – utilizing primitive “tools”.

 

In the past 50 years, we began to follow the lives of Mountain Gorillas, Lowland Gorillas and Bonobos across Equatorial Africa. How great apes live, think and interact has been part of our evolving consciousness about wildlife for the last fifty years. Realizing how similar they are to humans inspires us to want to protect them. Fifty years should have been enough time to safeguard an iconic species of the African forests and ensure their survival; unfortunately, it has not. What we have learned is that simply labeling a species as “Endangered” is not enough to protect it.

 

Since 2004, the Houston Zoo Wildlife Conservation Program has supported Great Ape Conservation in Africa. From field research initiatives to community education and health programs, the Houston Zoo is proud of our commitment to the wildlife, and communities, of Africa. To learn more about our conservation efforts or help support these programs, please follow these links.

 

http://www.houstonzoo.org/art-of-conservation-rwanda/

Working in poor rural communities surrounding Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, empowering and educating the local children about the importance of maintaining a healthy environment for people and animals.

 

http://www.houstonzoo.org/gorilla-study/

Successfully combining conservation research with capacity building for the local communities.

 

http://www.houstonzoo.org/mountaingorilla/

Dedicated veterinarians working tirelessly to ensure the health of Mountain Gorilla troops and support community health initiatives.

 

http://www.houstonzoo.org/jane-goodall-institute/

Ensuring the survival of great apes through conservation and education.

 

http://www.houstonzoo.org/chimpanzees-of-senegal/

New research focusing on chimpanzee communities living in southeastern Senegal where impending habitat disturbance, degradation and destruction from mining activities and increasing human population threatens the country’s remaining ape population.