Great apes are facing a concerning future. If humans neglect to address climate change, they could lose up to 94% of their range by 2050.

In the Congo Basin, a stronghold for great ape species, several challenges pose significant threats to their survival; national interests in exploiting natural resources, security issues in areas like the Albertine Rift, hunting activities, and the illegal wildlife trade all contribute to the severe predicament faced by these charismatic mammals.

In this episode of Mongabay Explores, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Kirsty Graham, Terese Hart, and Sally Coxe shed light on threats to bonobos and mountain gorillas, provide insight from their years of experience working with them, and discuss the pivotal role played by great apes in safeguarding the Congo Basin rainforest.

Listen to the other episodes in this Congo Basin season of Mongabay Explores:

Mongabay Explores the Congo Basin: The ‘heart of the world’ is at a turning point

Congo Basin communities left out by ‘fortress conservation’ fight for a way back in

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Image Caption: Bonobos live in more peaceful societies than their two close relatives, chimpanzees and humans. Photo courtesy of Jutta Hof.

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