The Great Apes are Disappearing at an Alarming Rate! Bill in Congress!

[leftchick]

Without concerted action, great apes such as this Sumatran orangutan of Indonesia and the Eastern gorilla of central Africa are at risk of disappearing, according to a report from the World Conservation Union, the International Primatological Society and Conservation International. "If we do nothing ... as many as one-quarter of all today's primates will be dead within 20 years," it says.
(Photo: Ken Bohn / Zoological Society of San Diego)


If we don't allow them as pets this should be a start at conservation of the great animals....


Please Support the Captive Primate Safety Act
H.R. 1329

On March 16th, 2005, U.S. Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) and Rob Simmons (R-CT) introduced The Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R. 1329) in Congress. When passed, this bill will prohibit monkeys, marmosets, lemurs, chimpanzees, orangutans and other nonhuman primates from being shipped across state lines for the pet trade.

This bill will help prevent such tragic events as the recent mauling of a California man by two chimpanzees. On March 3, 2005, a couple visiting their former "pet" chimpanzee at a California "sanctuary" was ambushed by two other chimps that had escaped from their cage. The chimps tore off the man's face, chewed off his foot and attacked his genitals, leaving him in critical condition at the hospital. Both chimps were then shot to death.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident and experts were not surprised by the chimps' behavior. No matter how cute, friendly and human-like they seem, nonhuman primates are wild animals and behave unpredictably. Some primates even harbor diseases, such as herpes B, and are able to pass these diseases onto humans if bitten or scratched. Clearly, these animals do not make suitable pets. Nevertheless, there are an estimated 15,000 nonhuman primates living in domestic situations across the U.S.




What You Can Do:
Help Pass the Bill in Congress!

Write/call/fax your U.S. Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 1329, the Captive Primate Safety Act. Tell them chimps, monkeys and other nonhuman primates belong in the wild, not in people's homes.

You can find your representative at http://www.house.gov/.

[Cocoa]

1. thanks for posting

an additional measure might be to mandate psychiatric treatment for anyone who tries to actually keep a chimp or whatever as a pet.

[leftchick]

2. I have seen some of those folks. They are freaky....

Just like the morons with the Big Cats like tigers as "pets". Unbelievably stupid.

[mmonk]

3. Will do

Only professionals that understand primates should have any in captivity. What about our apes in the capital?

[G_j]

4. thanks, an important issue

if we don't want our closest relatives to eventually become extinct.
some people just don't get it..

[leftchick]

5. AWF Coservation of Gorilla info... I don't know if you have heard

of this organization. I have been donating to them for years. I think these folks are the only reason there are gorillas left in the Congo.


http://www.awf.org/wildlives/gorilla.php



~snip~


Conservation is all about people


"During the worst of the fighting, the most IGCP could do was support the staff on the ground in the three parks, so that they could continue to operate as safely as possible", says Eugène Rutagarama, the IGCP Programme Manager. The dangers facing the people on the ground has been enormous, and many of the park guards have lost their lives during the war and conflict. Although many activities had been planned, but best use of IGCP resources at this time was paying the salaries to the park staff when the government was in no position to support them. IGCP supported the park staff in Rwanda for a number of years, and the staff in DRC for more than 6 years. This has enabled them to keep working, to keep conducting the essential anti-poaching and surveillance patrols and to keep motivated.

"It has been extremely hard for so many of them", says Eugène. "Yet it is due to them that the gorillas are still there, and that the park is still intact".

[G_j]

9. excellent group

thank you so much for helping them, it is dangerous but crucial work.

:thumbsup:

[leftchick]

10. Thanks G j...

I can't believe more people are not concerned about the plight of the apes.

:(

[Blue_In_AK]

6. A not-so-great ape in the White House, though...

...who I would like to see become extinct.

[screembloodymurder]

7. Are we next?

Think about it.

[leftchick]

8. exactly....

As G j pointed, these are our closest relatives on earth. Any sane person would realize the disaster ahead.

[chlamor]

11. Nominated-Thank You

" If we are not careful, we will end up where we are headed."
                                                              Lakota Proverb

[chlamor]

12. kick

[chlamor]

13. Too few have seen this

" If we are not careful, we will end up where we are headed."
                                                              Lakota Proverb