about the pledge

An estimated 3,000 great apes are lost every year as a result of the black market ape trade. These trafficked apes end up in zoos, amusement parks, and research facilities or as part of private animal collections.

The nightmare for many of these victims does not end with their capture in the wild but instead—if they don’t die in transit—continues for the rest of their life, up to 40 years.

On top of wildlife trafficking, most of Africa's great ape populations are declining owing to habitat loss, bushmeat hunting, and disease.

To end the ape crisis, we must first acknowledge that one exists. Public awareness campaigns around the ivory and rhino horn trade have driven media coverage that has spurred action by governments worldwide.

Similar visibility is needed to lift the issue of great ape trafficking out of the shadows. The scale and brutality of the illegal trade in great apes highlight the urgent need to tackle this issue now. 

African Wildlife Foundation is the largest conservation organization working solely on the continent of Africa to protect Africa’s great apes from poaching and capture.