Climate change could cause 'generational trauma' in great apes

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Lowland Gorillas are seen in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park in South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on November 5, 2012.

Great apes in danger of 'generational trauma' due to climate changeNew research suggests climate change will create dangerous conditions for the habitats of some of Africa's great apes — with some populations potentially more exposed to wildfires, drought, cyclones and heat waves.Some of Africa's great apes — humanity's closest cousins — face death and disruption as the planet warms, according to new research.

Heinicke's research points to more days where heavy rainfall would hit these habitats. As she explained to CBC News from Potsdam, there would also be an increased number "of consecutive dry days, so days where repeatedly you don't have any rainfall.

"If you cut out whole generations, you lose these knowledgeable individuals that have the potential to provide that kind of safety net that can help out those younger individuals."The greatest threat to ape populations in Africa is habitat loss, and the pressure of one extreme climate impact — crop failure — could feed into that.

For Rachel Ashegbofe Ikemeh, founder-director of the South-West/Niger Delta Forest Project, climate change can make a human-caused situation worse. Ikemeh, who has been in conservation for almost 20 years, gave an example of wildfires started during the dry season by farmers clearing their land. "These general projections can help to basically support why mitigation efforts need to happen," Kalan said, adding that the 2 C scenario will be less severe on great apes.

 

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