Chimpanzee At Rest II has been selected for the front cover of the African Wildlife Foundation's Technical Partners Newsletter in the Spring issue of 2015. This male chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) was photographed in Kibale National Park of Uganda in a recent photographic expedition in 2014. The African Wildlife Foundation, based in Nairobi, Kenya, works to provide critical conservation support throughout Africa, from endangered specie protection to supporting UNESCO designation of sensitive environmental areas to building schools in poverty stricken areas to promoting conservation education.  To learn more about the African Wildlife Foundation, visit their Web site at www.awf.org.

The chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) is listed as Endangered by the IUCN’s Red List. Their population is projected to decline by more than 50% between 1970 to 2030, primarily due to human activity; habitat destruction, exploitation, reduction in habitat quality, political instability and the transport of diseases, such as Ebola.  Deforestation and slash-and-burn agricultural practices have depleted about 80% of the forests in Western and Central Africa. And to the surprise of many, poaching continues with chimpanzees sold as bushmeat in urban markets in Cote d’Lvoire, and the illegal pet trade continues, which usually involves slaughtering the mothers and other members of the group to capture the babies. Chimps are also slaughtered for crop protection, and still captured for medicinal studies in certain countries.  Illegal logging not only destroys habitats, but creates roads for poachers to access them more easily.  And the increasing human encounter is increasing the chimps’ exposure to more diseases.  While protected by law in many countries, stricter enforcement of existing laws and effective management of protective areas is urgently needed.

Chimpanzee At Rest IIKibale National Park, Uganda

Chimpanzee At Rest II