I visited six chimpanzee range states and learned a great deal about the rate of deforestation as a result of foreign corporations (timber, oil and mining) and population growth in communities in and around chimpanzee habitat, so that more land was needed for expanding villages, agriculture and grazing livestock.Ĭhimpanzees were affected by the bushmeat trade – the commercial hunting of wild animals for food. I left Gombe in 1986 when I realised how fast chimpanzee habitat was being destroyed and how their numbers were declining. Even the loss of one thread can have a ripple effect and result in major damage to the whole. I learned how all life is interconnected, how each species, no matter how insignificant it may seem, has a role to play in the rich tapestry of life – known today as biodiversity. During my years studying chimpanzees in Gombe national park in Tanzania I experienced the magic of the rainforest.
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