Global News - April 2008
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Expert warns lowland gorillas are threatened by Ebola
Fri 18 April 2008 14:00 UK — Africa,Primates
Wildlife experts have warned that western lowland gorillas are at risk of extinction because the deadly Ebola virus is running through the population.
According to the Live Science website, a local field vet, Kenneth Cameron, explained that the infectious disease was one of the major threats to gorillas in central Africa.
He ranked it alongside loss of habitat and hunting for the bush meat trade.
Live Scientist explained that Ebola kills around 95 per cent of the gorillas it infects.
"At their current rate of population decline, we stand to lose 80 per cent of the population of [the western lowland gorilla] over the next ten years," Mr Cameron told the site.
"These animals obviously need help. And we're hoping that being able to vaccinate them against one of their major threats will be something that is possible, but it is too early to tell. We don't know for sure that it's going to work, but we do feel we need to try."
Last year, the ICUN listed the lowland gorillas as critically endangered as a result of the affects of Ebola.
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June 2008
Update on IAR’s work in Indonesia
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