The New Scientist from this week published a short article on wild apes that unfortunately die from diseases spread by people. Apparently, biologists who work with chimpanzees in Africa are very concerned about this as the main purpose of them being there was to help the apes. Now the "human respiratory syncytial virus (that one causing measles and mumps), or human metapneumovirus (causes lower respiratory infection in young children)" are a threat to chimpanzess. Professionals working in the field face a dilemma: are they to leave and let apes be vulnerable to poachers or stay, but spread a deadly virus... ? "Reduced human contact with Africa's great apes will leave them vulnerable to poachers".
???
x
ref:
- 2 February 2008 The New Scientist "Poacher vs plague" p.5, London
- http://www.wildchimpanzees.org/media/photo_gallery_jpg/goodall_39.jpg
http://www.gujratitimes.com
2008-02-10 @ 12:54