Why are chimpanzees trafficked?
In many range countries, adult great apes are hunted for wild meat for local or international trade. When mothers are killed, live infants are captured to be trafficked to meet demand for illicit exotic pets or for human entertainment at disreputable zoos and tourist attractions.
What is the main reason chimpanzees are endangered?
Chimpanzees [are] in danger of extinction.” Rampant deforestation, poaching, and capture for the pet trade has decimated the wild chimpanzee population, which fell from a million animals at the turn of the century to between 172,000 to 300,000 today, according to the Jane Goodall Institute.
How did monkeys get from Africa to South America?
The working hypothesis is that monkeys living along the Atlantic coast of Africa were swept up in intense storms and found themselves at sea. These primates clung to storm debris that formed natural rafts. Currents carried these platforms of vegetation across the ocean.
Is it illegal to keep a chimpanzee as a pet?
Chimpanzees should never be kept as pets — they are undomesticated wild animals and they do not make good pets. In many locations having a chimpanzee as a pet is illegal. In the wild, chimpanzees stay with their mothers until they are at least five years old and often travel with her until they are young adults.
How can we help the chimpanzee?
These steps include:
- Limiting the number of tourists each day who are allowed to observe chimpanzees;
- Addressing the health and livelihood needs of local communities through community development projects;
- Conducting conservation outreach and education programs; and.
- Maintaining ongoing scientific research efforts.
Can I legally own a chimpanzee?
Is It Legal to Own a Pet Chimpanzee? Even though they are quite endearing, pet chimps still behave like wild animals. It’s illegal to own one in most parts of the U.S. Still, some states—including Texas, Kansas, Idaho, and Alabama—allow pet chimps. You will likely need a permit to keep a chimp.