 |
Help save the apes
An evening with David Attenborough |
|
| Discovered in 1929, bonobos are found only in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and are a critically endangered species in the wild and
in captivity. Also known as pigmy chimps, they are in fact no smaller than
the chimpanzee. |
Radio Times and BBC Wildlife magazine have teamed
up with the Ape Alliance for a fundraising evening dedicated to saving the
endangered great apes.
David Attenborough will be hosting the event at Westminster Central Hall
in London on 27 September to highlight the plight of the
bonobo, gorilla,
chimpanzee and orang-utan. Five guest speakers,
each an expert in his or her field, will give a short presentation followed
by a question and answer session, to be chaired by David Attenborough. Speakers
include Prof Birute Galdikas on her life's work with orang-utans and Dr Charlotte
Uhlenbroek, zoologist and presenter ofthe new BBC 1 series
Cousins . Other experts on the platform
are Dr Jane Goodall, who will discuss her 40 years' work with chimpanzees,
Dr Jo Thompson on bonobos and Ian Redmond on gorillas.
The event launches a major campaign to save the great apes
- 2001:An Ape Odyssey, so-called because the apes' evolutionary journey
will soon end unless we act now.
The September issue of BBC Wildlife magazine (on sale 23 August)
is dedicated to primates and includes a feature by Dr Uhlenbroek on primate
conservation and a travel feature on gorilla watching. To apply for tickets,
priced £15 each, fill in the coupon (below) and send with a cheque,
payable to Ape Alliance, to:
RT Ape Event, Bright Blue, Knightsbridge House, 229 Acton
Lane, London, W4 5DD by 15 September.
Tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
Doors open at 6pm for a 7pm start. Unsuccessful applications will be returned.
All profits go to the Ape Alliance.
 |
MOUNTAIN GORILLAS There are fewer than 650 left in the
world. They are threatened by poaching, deforestation, human disease and
war. They do not survive in captivity. ORANG-UTANS Found only in Borneo and Sumatra, these apes could be extinct within ten years if their habitat continues to disappear at the current rate. CHIMPANZEES Their survival is threatened both by the destruction of their habitat and the increased commercialisation of the trade in bushmeat. |