00:00There are four species of great apes, bonobos, chimpanzees, gorillas and
00:04orangutans. The San Diego Zoo is home to six orangutans, one Bornean and five
00:09Sumatran. There are roughly about 65,000 both Bornean orangutans and Sumatran
00:15orangutans left in the wild. Both of these species are found in Southeast Asia.
00:20Orangutans have a good chance of going extinct in less than 10 years because of
00:24habitat loss. This is a cycle that is often started by deforestation to
00:28establish palm oil plantation. This removes all the trees and vegetation
00:32from the area and when the trees are gone the orangutan loses its home. Palm oil is
00:38an ingredient that is found in many products that range from food items to
00:42cosmetics. Eighty percent of palm oil byproducts originate in the native
00:46habitats of orangutans. The primary threat facing gorillas in the wild is the
00:52mining of coltan. Coltan is a mineral ore using the manufacturing of consumer
00:57electronics such as cellphones. Mining for this mineral strips the land of vegetation
01:02that removes food sources and nesting areas from gorillas. Conservation needs
01:07cooperation. The San Diego Zoo works with several organizations that provide
01:11educational and financial support for great apes. But visitors at the zoo can
01:15also pitch in. Consumers need to be more aware of what they are buying. When buying
01:21furniture or wood, check the source of the wood to make sure that what you are buying
01:25isn't supporting illegal logging operations. The bonobo, while small, is our
01:30closest living relative. They live in sophisticated social groups and their
01:35entire population exists in only one country, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
01:40War and instability have made it extremely difficult to protect these great apes in
01:44their native habitat. The bonobos share the same threats as their cousins, the
01:49orangutan, the gorilla, and the chimpanzee. They have lost habitat, fallen prey to the bushmeat
01:54trade, and it is also common to see them part of the pet trade. Baby bonobos are often
02:00taken from the wild and sold as pets. The San Diego Zoo works very closely with the
02:04Species Survival Plan, which helps breed these critically endangered species in
02:08North American zoos. We also have the pleasure of working with a sanctuary and
02:12rehabilitation facility in the Congo called Lola Ya Bonobo. Donations from our
02:17visitors contribute to these conservation efforts. This spring, our partner in the
02:21Congo will release its first troop of orphaned and rescued bonobos into the
02:25wild. The fourth great ape species is the chimpanzee. Chimpanzees are native to the
02:30rainforests of western and central Africa. Although we don't have chimpanzees at the
02:35San Diego Zoo, it is very important to know that they are critically endangered
02:39due to habitat loss and the loss of food resources. The population of chimpanzees is
02:45less than 150,000 left in the wild, and it is very possible that they will go
02:49extinct within my lifetime. Guests and friends at the San Diego Zoo can help the
02:54flight of the chimps and all the great apes by being conscious consumers. Know
02:58what you are buying, where it comes from, and how it might have impacted the
03:02wildlife that lived in that area. Become aware of the products you use that have
03:06palm oil as an ingredient and try to reduce your consumption. Make sure that
03:10you're buying responsibly harvested wood that isn't contributing to the loss of
03:14habitat for animals, and recycle any product that can be reused so we don't have to
03:19mine for more minerals like coal or aluminum will keep more of Great Apes habitat
03:23intact.
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