Chimpanzee SAFE

The Goal

The goal of this action plan is to improve the population status of all four chimpanzee subspecies through collaborative conservation action, stakeholder engagement, and public awareness.

The Challenge

Wild chimpanzee populations are dropping precipitously. Chimpanzees have already disappeared from four African countries and are nearing extinction in many others. In some regions, their numbers have declined by more than 80 percent in just over 25 years. Population declines are largely attributed to three primary threats: poaching, habitat loss, and infectious disease outbreaks.

We must act now to address these threats. Only with immediate, concerted action can we turn the tide and save these amazing animals from extinction.

Conservation Status

Chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, represent an incredibly charismatic species that is under threat across Africa from the bushmeat trade, zoonotic disease, and severe habitat loss. Concerted, unified action is required in order to address these threats.

Despite commendable efforts from talented conservationists for more than 40 years, we are collectively losing the battle to save chimpanzees. Unfortunately, chimpanzee populations have experienced significant reductions since the turn of the century, a decline that is expected to continue unless the scale of conservation efforts greatly improves. Though the factors that contribute to the endangered status of chimpanzees are well understood, they have certainly not ceased and are difficult to reverse.

Luckily, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) can help. Through Chimpanzee SAFE, we can exercise our capacity for public outreach in order to shed light on the importance of chimpanzee conservation and provide ex situ support for in situ programs. We can also collaborate with field partners in order to develop a unified, working action plan that clearly delineates AZA involvement.

Together, we can SAVE chimpanzees.

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