BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | UN's clarion call for great apes
The clock now stands at one minute to midnight for the world's four great ape species, the United Nations says.
It is launching an appeal for $25m, the minimum it says is needed to avert their extinction within a few decades.
All the apes - gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos (pygmy chimps), and orang-utans - face a very high risk of extinction within 50 years at most, the UN says.
It hopes to establish areas where ape populations can stabilise or even grow, if it manages to raise enough money.
The appeal is being launched at a meeting in the French capital, Paris, on 26 November. It has been called by Unesco (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) and Unep, the UN Environment Programme.
The importance of diversity in life, on this planet cannot be overemphasised. These creatures, humanities nearest cousins genetically, should not, cannot be allowed to become extinct. We can save them, because after all its humanity which has allowed them to become critically endangered.
You can find out more here and send money to the following:
Send your private donations to GRASP - Born Free Foundation at the addresses below. To ensure that your donation goes directly to the GRASP project please send an email to davidj@bornfree.org.uk giving your name and address and the date of payment, and saying that these funds are for GRASP.
(Sterling Pounds)
Bank: HSBC 67 West St., Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1BW, England
Sort code: 40 19 22
Account number: 41283677
Account name: Born Free Foundation Ltd.
(US dollars)
Bank: Leopold Joseph 99 Gresham St., London EC2V 7NG, England
Sort Code: 40 52 26
Account number: 73216555
Account name: Born Free Foundation Ltd.
Maybe a letter to your local political representative or national government could help?
Posted by Paul Goodison at November 26, 2003 09:12 PM | TrackBack