Scientists fear new Ebola outbreak may explain sudden gorilla dis...( ould be disastrous to the great apes if...)

ould be disastrous to the great apes if another outbreak of Ebola is confirmed, we still have it in our grasp to save a large number of these primates, man's closest living relatives. The international community and non-governmental institutions must continue to commit resources to the Congo Basin, one of the last remaining tracts of wilderness in the world."

Western lowland gorillas can grow to six feet tall when standing, and can weigh up to 450 pounds. They have a broad chest, a muscular neck, and strong hands and feet. Short, thin, grey-black to brown-black hair covers their entire body, except the face. Many bear a distinctive ginger-colored crown. In comparison to mountain gorillas, western lowland gorillas have wider and larger skulls. They are characterized as quiet, and peaceful animals that almost never attack unless provoked.

The relatively intact forests of Western Equatorial Africa are regarded as the last strongholds of African apes. Gabon and the Congo hold 80 percent of the world's gorillas and most of the Central African chimpanzees. The population of apes in the Congo declined by more than half between 1983 and 2000.

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Contact: Cristina Giacomo
39-347-8022-936
Conservation International
27-Aug-2004

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