Open AccessLack of conservation effort rapidly increases African great ape extinction risk
Author(s) -
Tranquilli Sandra,
AbediLartey Michael,
Amsini Fidèle,
Arranz Luis,
Asamoah Augustus,
Babafemi Ogunjemite,
Barakabuye Nsengiyunva,
Campbell Geneviève,
Chancellor Rebecca,
Davenport Tim R.B.,
Dunn Andrew,
Dupain Jef,
Ellis Christina,
Etoga Gilles,
Furuichi Takeshi,
Gatti Sylvain,
Ghiurghi Andrea,
Greengrass Elisabeth,
Hashimoto Chie,
Hart John,
Herbinger Ilka,
Hicks Thurston C.,
Holbech Lars H.,
Huijbregts Bas,
Imong Inaoyom,
Kumpel Noelle,
Maisels Fiona,
Marshall Phil,
Nixon Stuart,
Normand Emmanuelle,
Nziguyimpa Léonidas,
NzoohDogmo Zacharie,
Tiku Okon David,
Plumptre Andrew,
Rundus Aaron,
SunderlandGroves Jacqueline,
Todd Angelique,
Warren Ymke,
Mundry Roger,
Boesch Christophe,
Kuehl Hjalmar
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
conservation letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.153
H-Index - 79
ISSN - 1755-263X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-263x.2011.00211.x
Subject(s) - extinction (optical mineralogy) , enforcement , tourism , geography , natural resource , environmental resource management , resource (disambiguation) , natural resource economics , law enforcement , environmental planning , environmental protection , business , ecology , political science , biology , economics , law , paleontology , computer network , archaeology , computer science
A network of resource management areas (RMAs) exists across tropical Africa to protect natural resources. However, many are poorly managed and weakly protected. We evaluated how the lack of conservation effort influences the extinction risk of African great apes. We compiled information on presence/absence of primary (law enforcement guards) and secondary (tourism, research) conservation activities and nongovernmental conservation organizations (NGOs) support for 109 RMAs over the last 20 years. Along with these data, we collected environmental and anthropogenic variables, including recent records of ape presence/absence for all RMAs. As expected, law enforcement as a primary activity was the best predictor of ape survival rather than tourism or research as secondary activities. Furthermore, long‐term NGO support had a significant positive influence on ape persistence. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of evaluating the relative importance of different conservation activities, an important step towards more evidence‐based approaches in ape conservation.