Int J Primatol (2008) 29:807–808 DOI 10.1007/s10764-008-9270-9 BOOK REVIEW
T.S. Stoinski, H.D. Steklis, and, P.T. Mehlman (eds): Conservation in the 21st Century: Gorillas as a Case Study Springer, New York, 2008, xv+362 pp. (Cloth USD 125.00) Kelly Stewart
Published online: 4 June 2008 # Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2008
During the past three and a half decades, gorilla conservation has progressed steadily across equatorial Africa. The number and variety of research and conservation programs have proliferated. National parks embracing ape habitat have been created. New concepts, methods and technologies have enhanced our powers of collecting and analyzing information, and of organizing conservation action. But as our everimproving estimates of ape abundance tell us, while human efforts increase, gorilla numbers decline. Conservation in the 21st Century is a collection of papers wherein authors summarize the threats faced by wild gorillas and describe the diverse conservation efforts in place to try and save them. The 17 chapters address a wide array of topics, ranging from census methods to international policy. Although somewhat thin on critical evaluations, new analyses, or discussions of controversial issues, the volume provides a wide-angle snapshot of the gorilla conservation landscape. It will be useful to anyone interested in what’s going on out there. While all but 3 of the chapters deal specifically with gorillas, the concepts and methods addressed are broadly applicable to other conservation contexts. The stage is set by Mehlman in the first and longest chapter. This is a wellsubstantiated account of the current status of gorilla populations, including an evaluation of the different methods used to obtain distribution and density estimates. The other chapters cover wildlife medicine, gorilla tourism, community development programs, long-term research, the role of sanctuaries and zoos, the bushmeat trade, assorted management tools, and more. Papers vary considerably in quality. While some are too general to be useful, others focus too closely on technical details to be generally interesting. A few authors did not manage to avoid the acronym-laced jargon that bedevils conservation writing. However, the majority of chapters are useful collations of scattered information, e.g., discussion of the bushmeat crisis by
K. Stewart (*) Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA e-mail:
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K. Stewart
Eves et al., Stokes on western gorilla research, and Lanjouw on conservation in the Virungas, or assessments of particular programs. Farmer and Courage's excellent analytical chapter on in situ sanctuaries for orphaned apes argues for the potential value of sanctuaries, especially if they invested more in collaborative and systematic evaluations. Stoinski et al. echo this call for collaboration in their useful analysis of the support of projects in Africa by western zoos. A dramatically novel approach is described by Boesch et al.: a play performed in villages bordering chimpanzee habitat in West Africa, designed to promote local knowledge and appreciation of chimpanzees. The project included a before and after analysis of peoples’ attitudes towards the apes. Authors frequently mention throughout Conservation in the 21st Century the emergence of infectious disease as a major threat to wild apes. In western Central Africa, Ebola has been implicated in catastrophic declines of both chimpanzees and gorillas in some areas. For the 2 small populations of mountain gorillas, introduction of a virulent disease to habituated animals from tourists or researchers is thought by some to pose the single biggest danger, surpassing even habitat loss or poaching. Ironically, these threats have been reduced by enhanced protection that is closely linked to research and tourism programs. While direct evidence for viral transmission from humans to wild gorillas is scant at best (as noted in Chapter 2 and contrary to the claims of several authors), the phenomenon has recently been reported in wild chimpanzees (Köndgen et al. 2008). Our challenge is to reap the benefits of research and tourism while minimizing their negative impacts. I must admit that by the end of Conservation in the 21st Century I was depressed. Despite myriad conservation efforts, gorillas are in serious trouble. Given that current measures alone clearly aren’t working, we need to try something drastically new, as Wrangham et al. argue. Their chapter describes the Great Ape World Heritage Species Project (GAWHSP), an initiative pushing for international recognition of great apes as the organismal equivalent of a World Heritage Site. The message is urgent. The time has come to tap into human affinity for great apes and to harvest the emotions they engender. It may be a long shot, but it certainly seems worth a try.
References Köndgen, S., et al. (2008). Pandemic human viruses cause decline of endangered great apes. Current Biology, 18, 1–5.
