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Spanish surgeon Antonio Peña successfully repaired the damage to...

- Friday 29 November 2013 No Comments




Spanish surgeon Antonio Peña successfully repaired the damage to the right arm of Nico, an orphaned chimpanzee who arrived at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Sierra Leone in 2012 with machete and bullet wounds that hampered his recovery. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1cbBHFO. http://ift.tt/1cQvwF9






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President Obama signed a bill this week that removes a cap on...

- Thursday 28 November 2013 No Comments




President Obama signed a bill this week that removes a cap on spending for U.S.-owned chimpanzees in sanctuaries, thereby diverting funds previously tied to bio-medical research and securing permanent retirement for 300 former lab chimpanzees. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1890cin http://ift.tt/17X8b4V






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An image of 2 cautious but curious chimpanzees in the forests of...

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An image of 2 cautious but curious chimpanzees in the forests of Sierra Leone was named among the winners of the 2013 BBC Wildlife Camera-trap Photo of the Year competition. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1esL3fL. http://ift.tt/1aX0PzM






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The remarkable rescue and rehabilitation of Wounda, one of more...

- Wednesday 27 November 2013 No Comments




The remarkable rescue and rehabilitation of Wounda, one of more than 160 orphaned chimpanzees living at the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Centre in Congo, is presented in the JGI-Congo film, “Wounda’s Journey.” For more, visit http://ift.tt/17TExxu http://ift.tt/1a3McWM






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Experts from the government, private sector and civil society...

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Experts from the government, private sector and civil society drafted a set of recommendations to improve the palm oil sector at the Responsible Business Forum held recently in Singapore, but admitted that there is “no silver bullet to solve the challenges of palm oil sustainability.” For more, visit http://ift.tt/1iStFob http://ift.tt/1b4axvH






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Bubbles, the young male chimpanzee who was paraded around the...

- Tuesday 26 November 2013 No Comments




Bubbles, the young male chimpanzee who was paraded around the world in sequins and suspenders as a “pet” by pop star Michael Jackson – then was abandoned when he got too old, before finding permanent sanctuary at the Center for Great Apes in Florida, USA — is included along with Lonesome George the tortoise, Punxsutawney Phil the groundhog, and Checkers the President’s dog among Time magazine’s 15 Most Influential Animals That Ever Lived. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1b3MInX http://ift.tt/1iRGDmc






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Digit, the young male Mountain gorilla that inspired zoologist...

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Digit, the young male Mountain gorilla that inspired zoologist Dian Fossey’s Rwandan research – and ultimately compelled the conservation movement when he was found murdered and mutilated by poachers — is included along with Dolly the cloned sheep, Knut the polar bear, and Laika the space dog among Time magazine’s 15 Most Influential Animals That Ever Lived. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1jIFXxa http://ift.tt/1hhwi3F






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David Greybeard, the male chimpanzee that befriended Jane...

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David Greybeard, the male chimpanzee that befriended Jane Goodall in the earliest days of her research in Tanzania a half-century ago and ultimately invited her into the world of wild chimpanzees, is included along with Elsa the lioness, Balto the sled dog, and Keiko the killer whale among Time magazine’s 15 Most Influential Animals That Ever Lived. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1hhwhNc http://ift.tt/1jIFYAZ






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The power struggle for dominance at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee...

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The power struggle for dominance at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary continues to evolve, with Kalema, a 17-year old male, now seemingly in charge. He was observed settling a disagreement between Eddy and Kisembo, when Eddy tried to throw a stone at caregivers but was disciplined by Kisembo. When a fight broke out between the pair, it was Kalema who settled the dispute. For more, visit www.ngambaisland.org. http://ift.tt/184TKsBwww.ngambaisland.org. http://ift.tt/184TKsB






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The Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF), an inter-governmental...

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The Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF), an inter-governmental organization created in 1996 that assists member nations in investigating violations of national laws pertaining to illegal trade in wildlife, has a new website. For more, visit http://ift.tt/17PlZyC. http://ift.tt/19YFv8y






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Notorious animal trainer Sid Yost continues to work steadily in...

- Monday 25 November 2013 No Comments




Notorious animal trainer Sid Yost continues to work steadily in Hollywood, despite a litany of U.S. government complaints dating back to 2008 and a renewed effort to revoke his Animal Welfare Act license. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1iNkh56 http://ift.tt/1b1CBQB






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Twenty-two Bornean orangutans have been confiscated from private...

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Twenty-two Bornean orangutans have been confiscated from private owners in West Kalimantan’s Ketapang regency thus far in 2013, bringing to 81 the total number rescued since 2010. All of the orangutans are currently under the care of International Animal Rescue’s rehabilitation centre. For more, visit http://ift.tt/19SO30D. http://ift.tt/1jANoq1






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Sura, an infant female Bornean orangutan whose fingers were cut...

- Saturday 23 November 2013 No Comments




Sura, an infant female Bornean orangutan whose fingers were cut off by a machete during forest clearance, is now in the care of the BOS Foundation’s Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Rehabilitation Center in Central Kalimantan. But experts warn that the region’s rapid deforestation will push orangutans even closer to the brink of extinction. For more, visit http://ift.tt/18vJQE4. http://ift.tt/1c0ixm9






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The Western Lowland gorillas that were transferred recently from...

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The Western Lowland gorillas that were transferred recently from a zoo in the U.K. to the wild in Gabon continue to settle in well, according to the latest Aspinall Foundation blog. Of particular concern was the late introduction of Kibi, a female who had been initially left behind due to her pregnancy. For more, visit http://ift.tt/18flkce. http://ift.tt/17Xe0fH






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An adult male Sumatran orangutan – seriously injured and trapped...

- Thursday 21 November 2013 No Comments




An adult male Sumatran orangutan – seriously injured and trapped by expanding farmland – was rescued this week by the Orangutan Information Centre (OIC) and the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), in collaboration with the North Sumatra wildlife department (BKSDA). The orangutan was taken to the SOCP rehabilitation centre for observation and will be released back into the wild when healthy. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1aLsvGH. http://ift.tt/1i17dva






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The growing links between deforestation, oil palm expansion and...

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The growing links between deforestation, oil palm expansion and the illegal trade in orangutans is examined in a recent Gulf News article from UAE. For more, visit http://ift.tt/18UYWPX http://ift.tt/17xCjE2






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Tatu and Loulis – the two remaining sign-language chimpanzees...

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Tatu and Loulis – the two remaining sign-language chimpanzees from the Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute (CHCI) in the U.S.A. that were transferred to the Fauna Foundation in Canada in August – are settling in well. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1joqphJ. http://ift.tt/1fkLXi3






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Rika, a young female Bornean orangutan that had been kept under...

- Wednesday 20 November 2013 No Comments




Rika, a young female Bornean orangutan that had been kept under a house on a chain as a pet alongside a dog and a pig, has been confiscated by International Animal Rescue (IAR). Rika’s owner said he paid $50 for the ape, and although he asked for compensation, eventually relented. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1fipMc8 http://ift.tt/1eilJJY






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A new study commissioned by the International Gorilla...

- Tuesday 19 November 2013 No Comments




A new study commissioned by the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP) concludes that the intense habituation of Mountain gorillas in East Africa – and the stress it imposes upon those gorillas — could ultimately hinder population growth. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1dRL8cD http://ift.tt/17HZuOd






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Suzy Kwetuenda, the first native Congolese researcher to study...

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Suzy Kwetuenda, the first native Congolese researcher to study bonobos, recently visited Duke University in the United States to deliver a presentation to the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology. For more, visit http://ift.tt/HWzAtS. http://ift.tt/18k8qrg






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The only two countries that host orangutans – Malaysia and...

- Monday 18 November 2013 No Comments




The only two countries that host orangutans – Malaysia and Indonesia – rank first and third among the world’s fastest deforestation rates, according to a newly released Google forest map. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1dMIMvL http://ift.tt/17FnotB






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Gorillas Use Ladders in the Wild: Unlike chimpanzees, which...

- Friday 15 November 2013 No Comments




Gorillas Use Ladders in the Wild:


Unlike chimpanzees, which famously tinker with sticks and stones, wild gorillas are notoriously rare tool users. Captive gorillas regularly manipulate branches and twigs, but researchers have documented only two instances of the great ape using tools in the wild… Read more http://goo.gl/yWXEVA http://ift.tt/1ifvBGX






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Ferrero, the Italian-based manufacturer of Nutella, Kinder, Tic...

- Thursday 14 November 2013 No Comments




Ferrero, the Italian-based manufacturer of Nutella, Kinder, Tic Tac and Ferrero Rocher chocolates, has committed to using only 100% traceable segregated, RSPO-certified palm oil by the end of 2014 – nearly one year ahead of its self-imposed deadline. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1cufuRc. http://ift.tt/17xbSAo






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A female Mountain gorilla who used a bamboo stalk as a ladder to...

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A female Mountain gorilla who used a bamboo stalk as a ladder to help her infant climb to a higher perch may be further evidence that gorillas – like other great apes – use tools, according to researchers in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1csEtV7. http://ift.tt/1cu9Yhs






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Global Demand For Sustainable Palm Oil To Grow To Nine Million...

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Global Demand For Sustainable Palm Oil To Grow To Nine Million Tonnes By 2015


The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil #RSPO has projected the global demand for sustainable palm oil to grow to nine million tonnes by 2015 from five million tonnes currently, said Secretary-General Darrel Webber.


Read more: http://goo.gl/iPo3y3 http://ift.tt/1gMCeBw






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Dismantling of M23 Rebel Group in DR Congo Offers Hope for...

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Dismantling of M23 Rebel Group in DR Congo Offers Hope for Mountain Gorillas:


According to Kathleen Garrigan, Communications and Marketing Officer, African Wildlife Foundation, the rebellion by the #M23 had endangered the habitat of the Mountain #Gorillas as it often served as a battleground in the conflict between the armed group and the Congolese government. Read more http://goo.gl/UKSQTJ http://ift.tt/1bCAvZW






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The U.S. House of Representatives has voted unanimously to...

- Tuesday 12 November 2013 No Comments




The U.S. House of Representatives has voted unanimously to approve bipartisan legislation that will retire government-owned chimpanzees from laboratories to sanctuaries, and to continue supporting those already in sanctuaries. Senate passage is expected to be swift. For more, visit http://ift.tt/1bBJKcE. http://ift.tt/1a2Jm8p






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Three Bornean villagers who cooked and ate an orangutan they...

- Sunday 10 November 2013 No Comments




Three Bornean villagers who cooked and ate an orangutan they claimed to have found wounded in the forest – an act that apparently shocked other villagers — have been arrested by the Indonesian Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA). For more, visit http://ift.tt/HIjHHs. http://ift.tt/17Yl5QD






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An undercover report from the United Arab Emirates’ Gulf News...

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An undercover report from the United Arab Emirates’ Gulf News found exotic animal dealers still willing to illegally source a wide variety of wildlife, including an orangutan for $47,000 USD. “I can find you anything, you can use it as a pet,” said one dealer at Dubai’s Sharjah Birds and Animal Market. For more, visit http://ift.tt/18ku0Z7. http://ift.tt/16Umln7






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Maggie, a 52-year old Bornean orangutan at the Brookfield Zoo...

- Friday 8 November 2013 No Comments




Maggie, a 52-year old Bornean orangutan at the Brookfield Zoo that has cataracts, osteoarthritis and other health concerns, is featured in a Chicago Tribune gallery of the city’s oldest zoo animals. For more, visit http://ift.tt/HCtE9v. http://ift.tt/1cI6bSz






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The United Nations’ ongoing efforts to protect great apes and...

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The United Nations’ ongoing efforts to protect great apes and promote peace in the volatile eastern regions of DR Congo are profiled by the UN News Centre . For more, visit http://ift.tt/1c4kEmM. http://ift.tt/1cHNhLC






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The Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) will seek to monitor...

- Wednesday 6 November 2013 No Comments




The Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) will seek to monitor the illicit traffic in chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and bonobos with the creation of a Great Apes Illegal Trade Database that will support law enforcement and conservation efforts around the world. Read more http://goo.gl/soRn2

(Photo courtesy Juliet Wright / Berggorilla & Regenwald Direkthilfe e. v.) http://ift.tt/HGitgH






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Annette Lanjouw, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Great...

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Annette Lanjouw, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Great Apes Program, and speaker at the Personhood Beyond the Human Conference talks about the ethics behind saving great apes. Read more http://ift.tt/1cBhPP9 http://ift.tt/Ht5bTZ






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Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) will be having a side...

- Monday 4 November 2013 No Comments




Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP) will be having a side event during the Interpol-UNEP Conference to discuss, “Stolen Apes: Building an Illegal Trade Database for Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Orangutans and Bonobos” on Wednesday, 6 November. http://ift.tt/1cGfxKn






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A juvenile male Bornean orangutan was confiscated from a soldier...

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A juvenile male Bornean orangutan was confiscated from a soldier by the Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) and the East Kalimantan wildlife authority, BKSDADKSA, this week in Loa Bakung, Samarinda. For more, visit http://ift.tt/Hqmq8u http://ift.tt/Hqmoxk






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