- In 10 years, the world population of eastern lowland
gorillas has fallen by 70%, researchers said yesterday.
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- In 1994, there were some 17,000, but now fewer than 5,000
exist.
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- "The staggering and almost immediate disappearance
of the eastern lowland gorilla underscores the alarming decline of an entire
ecosystem," said Juan Carlos Bonilla of Conservation International,
announcing more gorilla protection in the Democratic Republic of Congo,
where 97% of them live.
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- UN environment chiefs have warned for years that all
the great apes could vanish within two generations. Their disappearance
is due partly to disease, such as ebola, and bushmeat hunters.
-
- Last year, Africa-based scientists warned that lion numbers
had fallen below 23,000. This year, studies calculated that global warming
means a million species of plant, mammal, insect and bird risk extinction.
-
- Experts have said the world is undergoing a "sixth
great extinction event" to match the tragedy that killed off the dinosaurs.
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- Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited
2004 http://www.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,13369,1182376,00.html
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