Ape vs gorilla6/26/2023 The latest results show that of the 415 endemic Hawaiian plant species assessed so far for The IUCN Red List (out of ca. Invasive species such as pigs, goats, rats, slugs, and non-native plants are destroying the native flora in Hawai’i. Hawaiian plants threatened by invasive species While there are some successes to celebrate, this new data must act as a beacon to guide the conservation of those species which continue to be under threat.” “ Illegal hunting and habitat loss are still major threats driving many mammal species towards extinction,” says Carlo Rondinini, Coordinator of the mammal assessment at Sapienza University of Rome “We have now reassessed nearly half of all mammals. Whilst the populations of these species within protected areas are relatively stable, those found in other areas are decreasing due to continued illegal hunting and habitat loss. Three species of antelope found in Africa – Bay Duiker ( Cephalophus dorsalis), White-bellied Duiker ( Cephalophus leucogaster) and Yellow-backed Duiker ( Cephalophus silvicultor) – have moved from Least Concern to Near Threatened. The Plains Zebra is threatened by hunting for bushmeat and skins, especially when they move out of protected areas. In many countries Plains Zebra are only found in protected areas, yet population reductions have been recorded in 10 out of the 17 range states since 1992. The population has reduced by 24% in the past 14 years from around 660,000 to a current estimate of just over 500,000 animals. The once widespread and abundant Plains Zebra ( Equus quagga) has moved from Least Concern to Near Threatened. It is our responsibility to enhance our efforts to turn the tide and protect the future of our planet.” Conservation action does work and we have increasing evidence of it. “ We live in a time of tremendous change and each IUCN Red List update makes us realize just how quickly the global extinction crisis is escalating. “ To see the Eastern gorilla – one of our closest cousins – slide towards extinction is truly distressing,” says Inger Andersen, IUCN Director General. Four of the six great apes - Eastern Gorilla, Western Gorilla, Bornean Orangutan and Sumatran Orangutan - are now listed as Critically Endangered, whilst the Chimpanzee and Bonobo are listed as Endangered. beringei) –is faring better and has increased in number to around 880 individuals. The second subspecies of Eastern Gorilla – the Mountain Gorilla ( G. Killing or capture of great apes is illegal yet hunting represents the greatest threat to Grauer’s Gorillas. graueri), one subspecies of Eastern Gorilla – has lost 77% of its population since 1994, declining from 16,900 individuals to just 3,800 in 2015. Its population is now estimated to be fewer than 5,000. The Eastern Gorilla ( Gorilla beringei) – which is made up of two subspecies - has moved from Endangered to Critically Endangered due to a devastating population decline of more than 70% in 20 years. The IUCN Red List now includes 82,954 species of which 23,928 are threatened with extinction. Thirty eight of the 415 endemic Hawaiian plant species assessed for this update are listed as Extinct and four other species have been listed as Extinct in the Wild, meaning they only occur in cultivation. DNA taken from poop samples confirmed this and showed the animals were, as suspected, eastern chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii).Today’s IUCN Red List update also reports the decline of the Plains Zebra due to illegal hunting, and the growing extinction threat to Hawaiian plants posed by invasive species. A few years later, primatologist Dr Cleve Hicks and his team observed what were believed to be Bili apes for at least 20 hours in the wild.Īs reported by New Scientist in 2006, Hicks argued they were almost certainly not a new species of ape nor even a new subspecies, but simply an interesting population of chimpanzees. However, in the following years, doubt was thrown onto these bold claims. They made a distinct vocalization like a howl and were louder when the full moon rose and set The apes, she argues, could be a new species unknown to science, a new subspecies of chimpanzee or a hybrid of the gorilla and the chimp,” TIME reported in 2003. “The larger animal had a much flatter face and straight-across brow like gorillas and turned gray early in life Two or three would nest on the ground, with others low in nearby branches. This resulted in a number of mainstream publications like CNN, the Associated Press, and National Geographic reporting sensational articles about the Bondo chimp. One of the researchers on the expedition was Dr Shelly Williams, who purportedly returned from the trip to the DRC and gave interviews to the media. Another quest to identify the mystery ape came in the summers of 20.
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