The Illicit Trade in Great Apes, World Wildlife Day

March 3 is World Wildlife Day. Prof. Richard Wrangham narrates this video, highlighting a critical threat to Great Apes, on top of deforestation, disease and hunting: Illegal live trade. Chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas in Africa, and orangutans in South-East Asia, are transported illegally to lucrative markets in the Middle East and Asia. ‘Stolen Apes’ is the first report to give baseline data of this illegal live trade, based on records of seven years of seizures and published in 2013 by The Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP). Tougher law enforcement, stricter punishment and a Global awareness campaign have the power to close down both ends of the supply chain; to end this damaging trade now - before it is too late.