Target: Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)
Goal: Put a halt on bushmeat trade to reduce the unethical killing of gorillas and other great ape species.
Great apes and other primates are being hunted to extinction by the bushmeat trade, with poachers killing these magnificent animals to sell their meat in urban centers. Critically endangered gorillas, in particular, are being decimated by this grisly industry and other threats like habitat loss. The problem is not confined to the African countries where wild gorillas live; bushmeat is illegally exported and imported in foreign harbors, including into the United States.
Great ape populations play a large part in sustaining forests and plant life. They spread seeds through the foods they consume, which provides nutrients to trees. Without them, food chains are at risk and plant diversity decreases. Through their movement, trees and other plants receive more sunlight. Many species around them are also endangered, but great apes help these species to survive by spreading nutrients and resources to small insects, plants, and rodents. The biodiversity of their habitats are at risk if great ape populations are not properly protected.
Bushmeat is already an illegal practice, but the product is smuggled in and out of harbors, continuing the killing of great apes. Sign this petition to urge stricter policies on bushmeat trading.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear FWS Director Williams,
Great ape populations are at risk of extinction because of continued bushmeat hunting. These animals are brutally murdered for a product that is already considered illegal, and something must be done to put this crime to a halt.
Great apes sustain biodiversity in forests and other ecosystems. They spread seeds to plants and allow for more sun to reach trees through their excessive movement. Without them, the environment suffers an extreme loss and species that rely on great apes for resources may die off. Many smaller species under great apes are endangered too, but with the help of these populations, they’re sustained.
Please place further restrictions on bushmeat trading to prevent it from occurring any longer. This business is incredibly harmful to great ape populations, and they play such an intricate part in the survival of certain ecosystems. It’s vital for their populations to be properly protected. Please put a halt to bushmeat hunting through more extreme measures. Thank you for your attention to this message.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Mira Meijer
It’s a pity the meat from these poor animals doesn’t poison those who sink low enough to eat it….