Protect Great Apes From Disease
ONE HEALTH PRODUCTIONS PARTNERS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER TO PRODUCE MULTILINGUAL EDUCATIONAL VIDEO SERIES. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT AND VIEW THE VIDEOS BELOW.
In most wild African great ape range countries tourism and research related with the great apes occurs. Even before the emergence of COVID-19 the risk, and actual instances, of disease transmission was, and continues to be, well documented.
All great apes are threatened with extinction due to a variety of reasons including habitat degradation and disease outbreaks. Great apes, so like humans, are susceptible to many of the same diseases we can get.
And so, in 2021 the project 'Protect Great Apes from Disease' was started.
The project investigates the barriers to disease mitigation guidelines (of which the IUCN has published and regularly updates) as reported by visitors to, and guides at, wild African great ape sites. The aim of the project is to reduce disease transmission to wild great apes and this requires visitors understanding the risks and complying with the regulations and guides and authorities enforcing the guidelines effectively.
All great apes are threatened with extinction due to a variety of reasons including habitat degradation and disease outbreaks. Great apes, so like humans, are susceptible to many of the same diseases we can get.
And so, in 2021 the project 'Protect Great Apes from Disease' was started.
The project investigates the barriers to disease mitigation guidelines (of which the IUCN has published and regularly updates) as reported by visitors to, and guides at, wild African great ape sites. The aim of the project is to reduce disease transmission to wild great apes and this requires visitors understanding the risks and complying with the regulations and guides and authorities enforcing the guidelines effectively.
This is not just about COVID-19. Recently, an article was published that found the respiratory health of the endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda to have improved with the proper use of disease mitigation measures that have increased since the start of the pandemic. The article reports average annual respiratory disease outbreaks to have fallen from 5.4 per gorilla group before the pandemic, to 1.6 after. These increased measures must continue to be adhered to.
To do this, Protect Great Apes from Disease has developed a host of free-to-download education and training materials available on their website www.protectgreatapesfromdisease.com including videos made in partnership with One Health Productions (available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese).
We ask for your help in making sure these materials reach as many potential visitors to great ape sites as possible. Please share these materials with African great ape tourism and/or research sites, tourism organizations, tour operators, and any other organizations or locations that may help share this important information.
To do this, Protect Great Apes from Disease has developed a host of free-to-download education and training materials available on their website www.protectgreatapesfromdisease.com including videos made in partnership with One Health Productions (available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese).
We ask for your help in making sure these materials reach as many potential visitors to great ape sites as possible. Please share these materials with African great ape tourism and/or research sites, tourism organizations, tour operators, and any other organizations or locations that may help share this important information.
GREAT APES RANGES MAP
Project Team and Funding
In January 2021, the team (Dr. Kimberley Hockings, Chloe Chesney, Dr. Elena Bersacola and Maia Wellbelove (University of Exeter), Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka (Conservation Through Public Health, Uganda), Dr. Fabian Leendertz (Helmholtz Institute for One Health, Germany), Dr. Amanda Webber (University of West England), and Dr. Ana Nuno (NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal)) received three months of funding from the Darwin Initiative for this work (CV19RR18). Financial support from Re:wild and ARCUS ensured the continuation of the project through 2021. Thanks go to the IUCN COVID-19 Working Group for their continued support.
Protect Great Apes From Disease Booklet
This is not just about COVID-19. Recently, an article was published that found the respiratory health of the endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda to have improved with the proper use of disease mitigation measures that have increased since the start of the pandemic. The article reports average annual respiratory disease outbreaks to have fallen from 5.4 per gorilla group before the pandemic, to 1.6 after. These increased measures must continue to be adhered to.
We ask for your help in making sure these materials reach as many potential visitors to great ape sites as possible. Please share these materials with African great ape tourism and/or research sites, tourism organizations, tour operators, and any other organizations or locations that may help share this important information.
We ask for your help in making sure these materials reach as many potential visitors to great ape sites as possible. Please share these materials with African great ape tourism and/or research sites, tourism organizations, tour operators, and any other organizations or locations that may help share this important information.
Protect Great Apes from Disease has developed a host of free-to-download education and training materials available on their website www.protectgreatapesfromdisease.com including One Health Productions videos (available in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese).
ENGLISH VERSION
Chimpanzee guides in Cantanhez National Park, Guinea Bissau with certificates of training for "Protect Great Apes from Disease". Photo credit: Chloë Chesney
Spanish, French & Portuguese Versions
ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS
MORE RESOURCES
Click on papers below to follow links
OUR PARTNERS
Follow us on social media
