Image # 43
Bush Meat Trade - Endangering Primates and Human Health adult male looking over shoulder Logging, reforestation with non-edible exotic species and extensive poaching have taken a toll on drill populations. Protected only within the Korup Reserve in Cameroon, these primates are now endangered. A U.N. congressional briefing released on March 7 examines the link between bush meat and human health. The source of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic may be a sub-species of chimpanzee found in west Africa. Since primates are believed to carry other similar viruses, hunting of primates for bush meat may lead not only to the extinction of the primate species but also to the transmission of other HIV-like viruses to humans in the future. The male drill shown in this photograph is part of the captive breeding program at the Atlanta Zoo. The drills have been able to successfully reproduce in captivity. Male drills are almost twice the size of their female counterparts.
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