BBC Richard Leakey argues Conservation alone 'is not enough'

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Conservation alone 'is not enough'

 

 

 

VIEWPOINT

Richard Leakey

 

Ahead of Wednesday's publication of the 2007 Red

List of Threatened Species, Dr Richard Leakey

argues that conservation alone cannot save

threatened species such as the mountain gorilla.

In this week's Green Room, he calls for action on

humans' needs as well.

 

 

These deaths were repulsive for the fact that the

gorilla corpses served no use to the killers

Millions of people were horrified by the recent

slaughter of mountain gorillas that dominated

headlines for the inhumanity that seems to cling

to this corner of the world.

In the space of a month, nine gorillas - more

than 1% of the known population of these

charismatic relatives of ours - were wiped out.

All were from the Democratic Republic of Congo's

(DRC) Virunga National Park.

Predictably, the slaughter drew an outraged

response. Wildlife conservation organisations

leapt into action and began raising funds to deal

with it, and a crisis team went in on the ground.

In the following four weeks, peoples' compulsion

to do something to save the species produced

donations amounting to tens of thousands of

dollars.

Living at the epicentre of the bloodiest conflict

since the Second World War, the mountain gorillas

share their habitat with heavily armed militia.

In other lawless regions, where wild meat comes

into contact with hungry gunmen, species are

slaughtered for food, or for trophies to be

traded for cash and weapons.

But these deaths were repulsive for the fact that

the gorilla corpses served no use to the killers.

On the contrary, it is the very presence of

mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park

that threatens them, for the animals draw

attention to an area that unscrupulous people

would rather have us forget.

Fuelling conflicts

At the heart of the crisis is charcoal - the main

form of household energy in Africa. And making

charcoal means felling forests, destroying

wildlife habitats, damaging ecosystem services

such as water catchments and soil fertility.

 

Charcoal production has been going on for

millennia, but recent events in eastern DRC have

led to a sharp escalation in demand.

In neighbouring Rwanda, an enormous human

population has stripped almost all its indigenous

forests bare; while in the Congolese border town

of Goma, refugees fleeing the region's crises

have swelled the population to more than half a

million.

Together, they've created an insatiable demand

for charcoal worth an estimated $30m (£15m) a

year.

To save Rwanda's few remaining forests and the

gorillas that have become a major source of

tourist revenue, President Paul Kagame has

installed a surprisingly efficient and effective

ban on charcoal production.

Ironically, however, that has driven the black

industry across the border into DRC, threatening

the habitats of the very same gorillas in the

park which straddles both countries.

Given the lack of any form of effective

government in eastern Congo, and the ludicrously

small government salaries - a ranger earns about

$5 (£2.50) per month - it is not surprising that

the parks' forests have become a commons and

virtually everybody is involved in the scramble

for resources, from peasants to high ranking

government officials and rebel militia.

If gorillas focus unwelcome global attention on

the park, it is hardly surprising that those

getting rich on charcoal will want to remove that

attention by getting rid of one of our closest

biological relatives.

As shocking as the gorilla executions were, this

is fundamentally a human tragedy, with very human

solutions.

There must be alternative sources of energy to

meet the demand in both Rwanda and eastern Congo.

There must be a return to the rule of law in DRC,

where the forests are saved for the long term

good of all, rather than looted for the short

term riches of a few.

In it together

Although it seems to be a very local problem, we

all have an interest in protecting the forests.

 

 

It will take a focused global initiative to end

the conflict, introduce alternative sources of

household fuel, and create alternative livelihoods

Not only do we risk losing one of the most

charismatic and important species on Earth, but

we are in danger of doing more damage to the

world's warming climate.

In that respect, the forests' destruction is a

double whammy. Burning charcoal is one of the

greatest sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide,

but it also strips away the trees that otherwise

soak up so much of the carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere.

While the alarm has been raised by conservation

organisations concerned about gorillas, and the

global public has responded, it is clear that the

problem is much greater than one of conservation

alone.

This is a human development crisis and it will

take a focused global initiative to end the

conflict, introduce alternative sources of

household fuel, and create alternative

livelihoods for the population living in eastern

Kivu.

If the underlying demand for charcoal is ignored

and we focus too much on the gorillas alone, we

will not only see the extermination of the

mountain gorillas, but the forests, woodlands and

all the unique species that inhabit this

biologically diverse landscape.

We will also lose the climate mitigation services

that the intact forests provide. In the end, we

could see a human crisis that will dwarf the

tragedy of nine gorillas.

Dr Richard Leakey is the founding chairman of

WildlifeDirect, a former head of the Kenyan

Wildlife Service and a leading palaeontologist

The Green Room is a series of opinion pieces on

environmental topics running weekly on the BBC

News website

 

 

 

Do you agree with Dr Richard Leakey? Are we

asking too much of conservation organisations? Is

the global media's attention helping or hindering

the gorillas' plight? Or should we accept that

endangered species caught up in conflict zones

are just one of many casualties of war?

I agree with Dr. Richard Leaky, conservation

alone is not enough. In the face of poverty where

individuals are barely surviving in countries

with corrupted politicians, poor economies, lack

of job prospects, there is no excuse to destroy

the ecological balance we co-exist with. It is

the human duty, through intelligent solutions to

prevent environmental degradation. We cannot and

should not accept that these mountain gorillas

are caught up in 'conflict zones' and their

deaths are attributed to casualty of war. It is

their space!

Dr. Ekta Patel, Nairobi, KENYA

The simplest solution is to pay lots more

rangers. Say $50 per month, $5M would give you

8000 rangers for a year. Not a lot to save a

cousin species.

g bruno, wellington nz

I agree with Dr Leakey. We all must persevere on

protecting wild forests and such a charismatic

species. I ahve seen the gorilas and I can asure

it has been the best oportunity I have ever had

in my life. I was veru very shocked to see the

dead gorillas on the photo! PLease help the

African people to stop this, MAria Patagonia,

Argentina

MAria Abud, PAtagonia, Chile

It's high time for wildlife conservationists and

philanthropists to purchase and relocate

endangered species to safer havens. Too many of

their native homelands are rife with war, strife

and irreverence for animal life.

Brien Comerford, Glenview, Illinois United States

The loss of the Mountain Gorilla is to be

regretted along with the Dodo and several near

extinct big cats, birds, fishes, penguins, giant

tortosies, whales etc. But in order for Man to

completely evolve at the present and apparently

unstoppable rate, just about all of the non-human

life-forms on our bio-sphere must inevitabily

disappear, the earth's surface be covered in

concrete and asphalt the seas polluted until

their salt is too dirty for it to be possible to

economically extract, the air so filled with

chemicals and radio-active waste for us to be

unable to breathe it without special apparatus.

Nobody has a big enough stick to halt the process

and it seems to be inevitable that it will

continue until life here becomes untennable for

the poor.

David Chester! , Petcah-Tikva, Israel

The fundamental question is what can replace the

charcoal? If the oil found in LAke Albert is just

part of something bigger, would it actually solve

the problem? Nigeria is not a particularly

enticing example.

John Brown, Knutsford

I think that we should focus on taking care of

the people of the world. Areas such as Darfur,

Iraq, and many others. People need to realize

that these are animals, there are humans that

can't eat or seek medical attention because it

isn't available. Why waste your money or time for

something that can't contribute to society.

Travis Marsik, Greencastle, USA

Dr. Leakey has made a cogent argument that makes

it clear why conservationists often fail to make

headway in their efforts to save endangered

species. Without the sympathy of local residents,

without addressing their needs and aspirations,

no amount of outside intervention will reverse

the destruction of habitats and the living things

that inhabit them.

Victor Radujko, Ottawa, Canada

If only people like Attenborough and Leakey were

in power instead of the bunch of thieves, despots

and misinformed idiots that are in power in

Africa and the world in general. History will

prove Leakey and Attenborough correct, if there

is going to be any History written after the

environmental bottle neck approaching.

Robert Menage, Aberdeen UK

At last an article that highlights one of the

REAL environmental problems that we face - far

too many of us, and far too aggressive - it holds

very little hope for our future.

Crowcatcher, Shropshire

When I was student in South Africa about a decade

ago, the strong Cape Town winter winds and

currents sometimes created havoc for migrating

penguins and sometimes swept them ashore.

Interested parties (mainly white people) used to

go in droves to the shores to clean them up and

get them back to the water. However many (black)

people in the townships used to be rendered

homeless by this same winds as they blew over

their shacks, but they could never compete with

the penguins in terms of media attention,

outpouring of donations and a helping hand to

rebuild their homes. Dr. Leakey is right, when

you take care of the human factor, you basically

have solved 90% of the problem.

Wanjiku Mwangi, Nairobi, Kenya

I have worked in conservation for over 25 years

in DR Congo, including the Kivu area. I agree

with Richard Leakey's analysis. I would only add

that development of real alternatives to charcoal

will require investments in hydroelectric

installations (eastern Congo has major potential

for this, and this is significant for neighboring

East Africa as well) and possibly natural gas

(reportedly present under Lake Kivu).

Unfortunately, neither the gorillas nor the

Virunga Volcanoes can wait until hydro electric

and gas are in place. Even optimistically this is

years away. The park and its gorillas must be

must be protected today and they will also have

to be protected tomorrow, even after the open

conflict recedes, and the headlines focus

elsewhere.

Dr John A. Hart, Kinshasa, DRC.

First, Dr. Leaky is inadvertently confusing

'commons'with 'opens'. The situation he

describes- " virtually everbody is involved in the

scramble for resources " characterizes an open

access situation. Commons are resources managed

in common by a group. Coming to the question,

whether we are asking too much of conservation

organizations, it is actually the other way

around. Conservationist often ignore the kind of

issues that Dr Leaky alludes here. Poverty, rule

of law, and most importantly, livelihood needs of

the communities that generate the demands for

charcoal. For many other wildlife products - such

as ivory, rhino horns, tiger skins etc., demand

is generated by the wealthy people. SO, poor

people are not always at blame.

Prakash Kashwan, Bloomingotn, Indiana - USA

My best wishes for all your efforts, I am myself

involved with charitable work and events, but

more often than not question what it's all about

in the end. Somehow the decent portion of our

society keeps going, but why the maniacs always

end up in power is beyond me. As a thinking

person, I am deeply ashamed to part of the human

species and incapable of stopping the madness I

see all around me at all levels.

Hans Schreuder, Ipswich, UK

I wish that it were not so but we may have to

bring them back from their DNA in the future.

Ronald Newland, Austin, Texas, USA

With world human population increasing and

spreading like a plague of parasites there is not

much hope for the natural world,fast

vanishing.The only way to stop the wiping out of

our natural world is to put restrictions on

people popping out children like there is no

tomorrow.

Richard Browne, Exeter.Devon

The " heart " of the matter is human

overpopulation. Kenya had 1 million people in

1900. It now has 35 million. Still the number of

births per woman is about 6. It is probable that

it will fall into massive intertribal civil war

by 2025. You cannot economically outgrow lack of

water, fuel and land which is the the answer of

economists and politicians. But first people will

eat everything, cut everything, mine the soil of

any value and always blame someone else. No one

seems to notice that the only country to really

cut its population growth rate has the highest

sustained economic growth rate in the world.

China.

Peter Hubbell, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.

Leakey's theory is interesting, but not

watertight. I don't understand why the gorillas

were killed in the first place; if it was to

eliminate global attention, it clearly didn't

work well (as evidenced by the numerous worldwide

publications denouncing the slaughter).

Nevertheless, this is a situation that needs to

be changed, and conservation organizations can't

do it alone. Maybe rather than starting wars, the

U.S. government could spend that $450 billion to

aid Rwanda and the DRC...

Spencer Harjung, Elkton, Maryland, United States

I believe that we should be focusing on resolving

the human conflict and the DRC's and Rwandan

people's constant threat of the guerilla militia,

rather than just focusing on the habitat and

ecosystem issues. It seems like the rest of the

world chooses to be apalled by the death of a

beetle who wandered onto the nest of ants, rather

than say a word about the thousands of ants

crawling and attacking at their feet. The deaths

of the gorillas are tragic, yes, but we should

definitely be aware of the whole picture.

Drew, Eustis, USA

Dr. Leakey's analysis of the situation is

accurate, if a touch incomplete. The sad truth

remains that perennially impoverished nations

such as Rwanda and the DRC will inevitably find

themselves mired in the blood of innocents as the

politically and militarily savvy few duke it out

for increasingly limited resources. The symptom

at this moment may appear to be charcoal, but the

cause runs far deeper, and the treatment is

still, as of yet, unknown. Pray for the

inhabitants of this troubled land, human and

otherwise.

Andrew, Bronx, United States

It isn't charcoal. It is overpopulation and there

isn't a politician alive who has the guts to

tackle that problem. The idea that death and

endangerment are " just one of many casualties of

war " may be brilliant in the rarefied air of

politics and media, but I think most of those

people are dumber than dirt anyway. The long-term

solution is human contraception. Between the

do-gooders, religion, the bleeding hearts and the

political cowards, any money spent now on the

gorillas might as well be burned. Wolves don't

even breed when there isn't enough food. Humans

get over yourselves. Get over the idea that Earth

was made entirely for you consumption and

destruction. Until we discard that ideology and

religion's imperative to breed, we might as well

accept the consequences - the inexorable move to

destruction of all animals, including Homo sap,

through starvation and war.

Marthalynne Webb, Rogue River, Oregon, USA

In my college days, I would grow colonies of tiny

creatures in a petri dish. They thrived in the

beginning when the nutrients in the dish were

enough to sustain the life of the colony, then

when the population reached a certain size, it

was overwhelmed by its own waste. It died. It

seems now that we are on the petri dish of Earth

and our population is reaching the limits for

Earth to sustain us.

Deanna Dana, Las Vegas NV USA

As a person who worked at Rockefeller University

in research to produce the first birth control

pill, Enovid, it's clear to me the problem

continues to be overpopulation. Clearly, the

Gorillas have no choices, and the population's

need for the basics to support their lives

unavailable. In my opinion, we should have as

many breeding pairs of Gorillas in natural

setting parks outside of Africa as possible. It

doesn't seem realistic for us to expect them to

survive any other way.

Jacquie Schmall, Sausalito, CA

The only way that you can save the mountain

gorilla is to remove them to a safer location.

The gorilla does not care where it is as long as

it has enough to eat. Chimps are saved like this

all the time. Then sometime in the future they

might be taken back if these wars ever end.

Because if you do not do this you will lose them

all.

Barbara Griffith, Auburn, Washington USA

The populace south of the Sahara has been and

forever will be a drain on the productive regions

of the world. This area has the resources to

alter their status in life but ignorance and

greed has held back progress while the rest of

the world developed. The only thing in my

perspective worth saving in Africa are the

animals.

R. Miller, USA

If we humans continue on this ultra-consumer

based society we will kill ourselves off this

century and even worse still is the fact that if

we become a species that not only genocides but

now xenocides and kills off entire species of

sentient creatures (dolphins, whales, gorillas,

bonobos which are all being driven towards

extinction) then we are the indeed the worst form

of life in the universe for we are capable of

destroying entire peaceful sentient species for

our own personal gain :_(. Obviously it is not

everyone doing this directly many indigenous

peoples across the earth have taught respect for

the environment and our 'mother' earth. We must

remember the calls of peoples like Chief Sitting

Bull and CHANGE NOW! Peace, Love, and Evolution

(lest we become the most despicable species in

the universe) Sequoia

Sequoia Sempervirens, Arcata, California, usa

I agree with Dr Richard Leakey. I also think

there should be a concerted effort to transfer

technology to Africa and make sure that the

energy needs of people are met by solar. After

all Africa is a continent with the abundance of

sunshine and if the energy needs were solved by

other means, the charcoal production would stop

making sense. In the process forests, gorillas

and other animals would be saved.

Beata, Ottawa, Canada

By not acting strongly enough, our governments

hinder all organizations' ability to 1. protect

all species,in this case the gorillas of the DRC,

2. end conflict, 3.give aid. We cannot accept

that gorillas are casualties of war when they are

specifically hunted and murdered for no reason.

They cannot be considered collateral damage.

Lucy DeLancey, Tampico, Mexico

When will the people of Africa begin taking

responsibility for the violence they perpetrate

on themselves and how they affect the world? If

Africa is set upon destroying itself through war,

corrupt government, AIDS, and abandoning its own

children via the above - then we, in the rest of

the world, have a right to protect children and

endangered species from them. For too long,

Africa has been viewed as a helpless victim

unable to help itself. If they cannot or will not

save their own dying continent, then they cannot

expect the rest of the world to idly sit back and

watch while they destroy the last of a species.

Ellen Leeper, Mount Vernon, WA 98273

Most suffering is caused by people having

children that they cannot feed let alone educate.

The world's population is growing by one billion

a year. We need to make contraception and

abortion readily available and encourage planned

pregnancies. When the population grows beyond the

resources necessary to support it, it will

eventually collapse in famine and hardship. As

the population of Easter island grew the eco

systems were destroyed, and a once forested

island denuded. There was eventually not one tree

standing.

Amanda Youngleson, Cape Town

Whilst so much money is being raised, why are the

rangers being paid just $5 per day? Where is the

money going? Africa is corrupt and always has

been, but it is important to see these questions

answered.

Rob Ellingworth, London

As much as agree with Dr Leaky that we should

protect the mountain gorillas I don't agree with

him equating the animals to humans that they are

our relatives

Ernest Larbi, Tema Ghana

I've been watching this degradation of wood

biomass in Tanzania for 27 years. World oil

prices will continue to raise putting

alternatives such as kerosene out of reach of

most people. TANESCO, our State Power com. has

just requested a price rise for electricity of

40%. 20 years ago the World Bank had a

multi-million rehabilitation project with TANESCO

which included a charcoal from waste project.

When the budget was squeezed guess what went

first. 1st world just to busy enjoying life and

of course playing at war esp where they want

influence over minerals inc oil. The DRC does not

manufacture guns and bullets and the number of

actual bad guys is really quite small. Still, as

long as it's not in " your " back yard eh !!

Neil Baker, Iringa Tanzania

This is an extraordinary situation. I would

support a world action (UN-sponsored??) to

permanently take these mountains away from the

CONGO and RWANDA and establish a heavily defended

international research preserve. The people in

this area have demonstrated that they are far too

irresponsible to possess such a precious

resource. My political leaning is democratic,

liberal, and humanitarian, but the Congolese and

Rwandans have demonstrated over and over that

they are unable to care for the mountain

gorillas. I have no doubt that the funds could be

raised to take this portion of their territory

away, pacify it, defend its border, and establish

a permanent international preserve.

Dr. Kraig Derstler, New Orleans, LA, USA

There is clearly blame to be laid at the feet of

Western governments, Multi-nationals and

consumers. We allow the plundering of ecosystems

so we can have ipods, laptops and cellphones but

then are outraged that mountain gorillas are

being slaughtered. The time has come for

consumers in the west (a growing number of whom

are self-labelled environmentalists) to challenge

the rights of the corporations whose goods they

purchase.

Adam Chimienti, Astoria, NY USA

Bravo, I couldn't agree more. Dr. Leakey has

perfectly explained the crux of the greatest

environmental issues. Fixing human problems such

as greed and over consumption and inefficient

technology are the best way to insure the

continuation of all life on the planet.

Mark Larson, Mass City, USA

Events in the Middle East tend to hog our

attention and resources. In the meantime, other

areas of the world with huge problems, like the

Republic of Congo and Darfur, go a'begging.

Joe Blanda, Austin, TX - USA

I am truly baffled by these recurring stories of

conservation and militias and poverty. it seems

pretty clear: humans are responsible for

everything they do. the Western countries

manufacture the guns and ammunitions, and sustain

local conflicts to better exploit the resources

of a given area. the poor Gorillas are simply a

by-product of that process. playing boy-scouts

with the notion of conservation is as useless as

trying to cure lung cancer in children without

removing their smoking parents.

Lio Spiegler, brooklyn/NY

I agree with everything Dr Richard Leakey has

said. I am from Africa and can honestly say that

when people are in so much poverty they don't

care or think about animals and the environment -

or each other at all. When you are hungry and

threatened with violence (Real war) you only care

about surviving. In Africa the only way to save

wildlife and the environment is to include the

people, to solve their problems as best you can.

If you don't help them you cannot save anything.

Lucille Hart, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

The question to ask is this: who is exporting

guns to Congo? And when we answer this question,

we ask that country to stop their exportations of

weapons. If that country does not stop, all

countries should embargo that country. The arms

exports would stop in a heartbeat. In fact, there

should be international laws already in place

that make it illegal for any country to sell

weapons to another.

Julian Vigo, Montreal, Canada

Wildlife and the forests are a part of nature's

harmony on the planet. Every living organism has

a purpose. We all depend on each other for our

daily needs. The human race has a legal, social

and moral resonsibility in protecting culture and

the lives of animals on our planet. Governments

as elected leaders must take a proactive role.

Thaddeus Loo, Singapore

Many of the conservation organisations are good

at soliciting funds, not at actually doing the

right thing with them. Human development and war

are the enemies here, not poachers. Unless food,

water, shelter, disease, jobs, overpopulation and

justice issues are addressed, poaching, terrorism

and wars will continue to escalate - hardly the

purview of conservation organisations.

Jose K., Sacramento, California USA

I completely agree with Dr. Leakey. I am a

passionate wildlife photographer and have

travelled to a number of wilderness areas in

Africa and India. The common theme in all these

places is that the push of population is bringing

people closer in to contact with wildlife. It is

no use to just focus on conserving the wildlife.

One needs to put as much emphasis on improving

the lot of these poor communities that simply

cannot understand why the life of a wild animal

in their area is so important to the rest of the

world.

Vijai, Muscat, Oman

 

I agree with Dr Leakey entirely that this is a

human issue, not simply a conservation issue. The

land is capable of sustaining a fixed number of

humans, traditionally based on a nomadic culture.

These nomadic peoples now live in cities, and

population has rocketed over recent times. The

land, which is marginal in terms of agricultural

potential, simply cannot sustain the populations

now living there. The population rise is partly

fuelled by better (although still not ideal)

healthcare, but also by the presence of islam and

catholicism, both of which encourage the spread

of faith by increasing their populations. Until

we accept that there is an upper limit to the

number of humans that an area can sustain, we

cannot begin to improve the situation there. As

for solutions...I'm all out of magic wands

Piush, Bingley

I think this is totally repulsive and tragically

unstoppable. If there is no political will to

stop global plundering of fish stocks what hope

for a few gorillas?

michael beaumont, Riguepeu, France

Nothing can be done to help the wildlife of the

world. Humans are a destructive vindictive and

greedy species. There are far too many humans on

the planet and yet the call comes to save them

when natural disasters impact. I for one spend my

charity money on education in the hope that the

ill educated continue to learn and stop breeding.

Paul, hull

I agree in principal with Dr Leakey. We have a

similar problem in Zambia with charcoal

production which for many people who make

charcoal is the only method of acquiring cash to

purchase food and day to day goods. What are the

potential and affordable sources of alternative

fuel which can be made available to the people of

these countries? What are the alternative

livelihoods and who can help govt.'implement'

them ? until these questions can be answered then

gorillas will continue to die...

simon bicknell, Lusaka, Zambia

Dr Leakey is absolutely correct. the only way to

conserve an area or species is to make those who

live in those areas affected want to, and if they

have other more pressing things to worry about,

such as getting enough to eat or live by then the

overall state of the landscape around them is

unlikely to be of concern. Don't forget that the

UK was covered by forest until quite recently in

planetary term, then we moved in and used the

forests for cooking, ship building, etc. Let him

that is without sin cast the first stone...

Darren Hughes, March, UK

Dr Leakey is right. Conservation without local

community involvement does not work. Charcoal

production is the catalyst for vast environmental

damage. Here in the West Indies where charcoal

production has stopped/been controlled, forests

have rebounded. NO, endangered species are not

collateral damage and YES we need to continue

working to save them. But the root, seemingly

intractable, issue is human population growth.

Karl Watson, Barbados

'Environmental crisis' is a misnomer; *we* are

the crisis, over-exploiting our own habitat. If

or when we disappear, life will restore its own

balance. Hence, it's a problem of

self-management, as Richard says. A suggestion:

ask individuals to sponsor (i.e. employ) *named*

park rangers/ development educators? I'd do it

now if I knew how.

Brian McTavish, Edinburgh

First we hear about the slaughter of thousands of

elephants, then came the rhinos, followed by

Greveys zebra and hunters hartebeste. Now the

cheetahs are disappearing and today the mountain

gorillas are in the rifle sights. Tomorrow we

will read about the next species in the line of

fire and ALL of the above species will be

forgotten as we mourn the latest victims. Richard

Leakey and a few like him are valiantly fighting

a losing battle for consevation because most of

the people who are in a position to do something

simply turn the page and see what else is in the

news today.

richard Palmer, essen. Germany

The problem is growth. We have based our economy,

and maybe our entire modern civilisation form, on

a very wrong premise: growth, constant growth.

And we cannot keep it that way. Of course new

forms of energy can be investigated, and I do

support this research, but if we want to put a

definite end to the global problem, there's only

one solution: stop population growth. Now. And of

course develop a new economic system not based on

growth. If we keep ourselves under a reasonable

number, we can and will have a peaceful

coexistence with the rest of lifeforms on Earth,

including the wonderful mountain gorillas.

Violeta Gràcia, Sabadell, Catalonia

Conflict zones, esp. in Africa, have witnessed

the worst crimes, both on humans and other

species. These wars are now ecological wars. A

lot of wars in Africa are for basic human rights

which are as much a part of ecological concerns

as is the welfare of animals and environment.

These are wars for water, for sustenance, for

dignity, for independence - the same concepts

that the animals in the forests fight for. These

are wars for a safe environment, of which both

humans and animals form a part of. Thank you Dr.

Richard, for your views.

Karuna, Bombay

At last, a nuanced view of conservation. it seems

that many well meaning people would like

endangered animals to live in some sort of

hermetically sealed human free zone. the fact is

that the habitats that house some of the planet's

most endangered species are also home to millions

of humans, and any serious attempt to preserve

biodiversity must surely focus on finding a way

for these millions to live side by side with

other species, not fondly imagining places where

humans just don't live.

William, United Kingdom

I was so upset to see the picture of the Gorillas

that had been slaughtered by wicked people. The

local people need to be helped to live without

destroying the forests. Alternatives must be

found for them. The fighting must be stopped

between these people. They must learn to

compromise and live together in peace and

harmony. And the killing of the wildlife and the

Gorillas must be stopped. It's not rocket science

- can't these people see the damage they are

doing to the animals, forests, each other and the

planet? We are all born with the same

intelligence. Is it so difficult for these people

to follow a humane, considerate way of life?

Ann Webster, Stanford le Hope, Essex, England

Until governments around the world really start

to look a the long term African situation with

regards to poverty and corruption there is no

doubt in my mind the ruthless murder of the

gorillas (and many other species caught up in the

bush meat and ivory trade) will continue until

extinction of the species.

Julian Carnall, Kilifi, Kenya

I don't know how many hundreds of thousands of

people have already been killed in that war ,but

I would suggest that the human tragedy has

already somewhat outweighed the " tragedy " of the

loss of nine gorillas!

villamarce, Bristol

 

 

A series of thought-provoking environmental opinion pieces

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/6983914.stm

 

Published: 2007/09/10 09:05:03 GMT

 

© BBC MMVII

--

Kim Bartlett, Publisher of ANIMAL PEOPLE Newspaper

Postal mailing address: P.O. Box 960, Clinton WA 98236 U.S.A.

CORRECT EMAIL ADDRESS IS: <ANPEOPLE

Website: http://www.animalpeoplenews.org/

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Ms Bartlett,

Thanks for posting this. It is always refreshing to

read opinions of people who think 'out of the box' like Richard Leakey. As

someone who has lost the use of his legs in a plane crash never explained

whilst devoting his entire life to conservation, his voice is visionary.

Richard Leakey's work in anthropology and Kenyan politics is as notable as

his contribution to conservation. His autobiography 'Wildlife Wars' reads

like a thriller and is highly recommended.

Best wishes and kind regards,

 

 

 

On 9/20/07, Kim Bartlett <anpeople wrote:

>

> >http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6983914.stm

> >

> >

>

> Conservation alone 'is not enough'

>

> VIEWPOINT

> Richard Leakey

>

> Ahead of Wednesday's publication of the 2007 Red

> List of Threatened Species, Dr Richard Leakey

> argues that conservation alone cannot save

> threatened species such as the mountain gorilla.

> In this week's Green Room, he calls for action on

> humans' needs as well.

>

> These deaths were repulsive for the fact that the

> gorilla corpses served no use to the killers

> Millions of people were horrified by the recent

> slaughter of mountain gorillas that dominated

> headlines for the inhumanity that seems to cling

> to this corner of the world.

> In the space of a month, nine gorillas - more

> than 1% of the known population of these

> charismatic relatives of ours - were wiped out.

> All were from the Democratic Republic of Congo's

> (DRC) Virunga National Park.

> Predictably, the slaughter drew an outraged

> response. Wildlife conservation organisations

> leapt into action and began raising funds to deal

> with it, and a crisis team went in on the ground.

> In the following four weeks, peoples' compulsion

> to do something to save the species produced

> donations amounting to tens of thousands of

> dollars.

> Living at the epicentre of the bloodiest conflict

> since the Second World War, the mountain gorillas

> share their habitat with heavily armed militia.

> In other lawless regions, where wild meat comes

> into contact with hungry gunmen, species are

> slaughtered for food, or for trophies to be

> traded for cash and weapons.

> But these deaths were repulsive for the fact that

> the gorilla corpses served no use to the killers.

> On the contrary, it is the very presence of

> mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park

> that threatens them, for the animals draw

> attention to an area that unscrupulous people

> would rather have us forget.

> Fuelling conflicts

> At the heart of the crisis is charcoal - the main

> form of household energy in Africa. And making

> charcoal means felling forests, destroying

> wildlife habitats, damaging ecosystem services

> such as water catchments and soil fertility.

>

> Charcoal production has been going on for

> millennia, but recent events in eastern DRC have

> led to a sharp escalation in demand.

> In neighbouring Rwanda, an enormous human

> population has stripped almost all its indigenous

> forests bare; while in the Congolese border town

> of Goma, refugees fleeing the region's crises

> have swelled the population to more than half a

> million.

> Together, they've created an insatiable demand

> for charcoal worth an estimated $30m (£15m) a

> year.

> To save Rwanda's few remaining forests and the

> gorillas that have become a major source of

> tourist revenue, President Paul Kagame has

> installed a surprisingly efficient and effective

> ban on charcoal production.

> Ironically, however, that has driven the black

> industry across the border into DRC, threatening

> the habitats of the very same gorillas in the

> park which straddles both countries.

> Given the lack of any form of effective

> government in eastern Congo, and the ludicrously

> small government salaries - a ranger earns about

> $5 (£2.50) per month - it is not surprising that

> the parks' forests have become a commons and

> virtually everybody is involved in the scramble

> for resources, from peasants to high ranking

> government officials and rebel militia.

> If gorillas focus unwelcome global attention on

> the park, it is hardly surprising that those

> getting rich on charcoal will want to remove that

> attention by getting rid of one of our closest

> biological relatives.

> As shocking as the gorilla executions were, this

> is fundamentally a human tragedy, with very human

> solutions.

> There must be alternative sources of energy to

> meet the demand in both Rwanda and eastern Congo.

> There must be a return to the rule of law in DRC,

> where the forests are saved for the long term

> good of all, rather than looted for the short

> term riches of a few.

> In it together

> Although it seems to be a very local problem, we

> all have an interest in protecting the forests.

>

> It will take a focused global initiative to end

> the conflict, introduce alternative sources of

> household fuel, and create alternative livelihoods

> Not only do we risk losing one of the most

> charismatic and important species on Earth, but

> we are in danger of doing more damage to the

> world's warming climate.

> In that respect, the forests' destruction is a

> double whammy. Burning charcoal is one of the

> greatest sources of atmospheric carbon dioxide,

> but it also strips away the trees that otherwise

> soak up so much of the carbon dioxide in the

> atmosphere.

> While the alarm has been raised by conservation

> organisations concerned about gorillas, and the

> global public has responded, it is clear that the

> problem is much greater than one of conservation

> alone.

> This is a human development crisis and it will

> take a focused global initiative to end the

> conflict, introduce alternative sources of

> household fuel, and create alternative

> livelihoods for the population living in eastern

> Kivu.

> If the underlying demand for charcoal is ignored

> and we focus too much on the gorillas alone, we

> will not only see the extermination of the

> mountain gorillas, but the forests, woodlands and

> all the unique species that inhabit this

> biologically diverse landscape.

> We will also lose the climate mitigation services

> that the intact forests provide. In the end, we

> could see a human crisis that will dwarf the

> tragedy of nine gorillas.

> Dr Richard Leakey is the founding chairman of

> WildlifeDirect, a former head of the Kenyan

> Wildlife Service and a leading palaeontologist

> The Green Room is a series of opinion pieces on

> environmental topics running weekly on the BBC

> News website

>

> Do you agree with Dr Richard Leakey? Are we

> asking too much of conservation organisations? Is

> the global media's attention helping or hindering

> the gorillas' plight? Or should we accept that

> endangered species caught up in conflict zones

> are just one of many casualties of war?

> I agree with Dr. Richard Leaky, conservation

> alone is not enough. In the face of poverty where

> individuals are barely surviving in countries

> with corrupted politicians, poor economies, lack

> of job prospects, there is no excuse to destroy

> the ecological balance we co-exist with. It is

> the human duty, through intelligent solutions to

> prevent environmental degradation. We cannot and

> should not accept that these mountain gorillas

> are caught up in 'conflict zones' and their

> deaths are attributed to casualty of war. It is

> their space!

> Dr. Ekta Patel, Nairobi, KENYA

> The simplest solution is to pay lots more

> rangers. Say $50 per month, $5M would give you

> 8000 rangers for a year. Not a lot to save a

> cousin species.

> g bruno, wellington nz

> I agree with Dr Leakey. We all must persevere on

> protecting wild forests and such a charismatic

> species. I ahve seen the gorilas and I can asure

> it has been the best oportunity I have ever had

> in my life. I was veru very shocked to see the

> dead gorillas on the photo! PLease help the

> African people to stop this, MAria Patagonia,

> Argentina

> MAria Abud, PAtagonia, Chile

> It's high time for wildlife conservationists and

> philanthropists to purchase and relocate

> endangered species to safer havens. Too many of

> their native homelands are rife with war, strife

> and irreverence for animal life.

> Brien Comerford, Glenview, Illinois United States

> The loss of the Mountain Gorilla is to be

> regretted along with the Dodo and several near

> extinct big cats, birds, fishes, penguins, giant

> tortosies, whales etc. But in order for Man to

> completely evolve at the present and apparently

> unstoppable rate, just about all of the non-human

> life-forms on our bio-sphere must inevitabily

> disappear, the earth's surface be covered in

> concrete and asphalt the seas polluted until

> their salt is too dirty for it to be possible to

> economically extract, the air so filled with

> chemicals and radio-active waste for us to be

> unable to breathe it without special apparatus.

> Nobody has a big enough stick to halt the process

> and it seems to be inevitable that it will

> continue until life here becomes untennable for

> the poor.

> David Chester! , Petcah-Tikva, Israel

> The fundamental question is what can replace the

> charcoal? If the oil found in LAke Albert is just

> part of something bigger, would it actually solve

> the problem? Nigeria is not a particularly

> enticing example.

> John Brown, Knutsford

> I think that we should focus on taking care of

> the people of the world. Areas such as Darfur,

> Iraq, and many others. People need to realize

> that these are animals, there are humans that

> can't eat or seek medical attention because it

> isn't available. Why waste your money or time for

> something that can't contribute to society.

> Travis Marsik, Greencastle, USA

> Dr. Leakey has made a cogent argument that makes

> it clear why conservationists often fail to make

> headway in their efforts to save endangered

> species. Without the sympathy of local residents,

> without addressing their needs and aspirations,

> no amount of outside intervention will reverse

> the destruction of habitats and the living things

> that inhabit them.

> Victor Radujko, Ottawa, Canada

> If only people like Attenborough and Leakey were

> in power instead of the bunch of thieves, despots

> and misinformed idiots that are in power in

> Africa and the world in general. History will

> prove Leakey and Attenborough correct, if there

> is going to be any History written after the

> environmental bottle neck approaching.

> Robert Menage, Aberdeen UK

> At last an article that highlights one of the

> REAL environmental problems that we face - far

> too many of us, and far too aggressive - it holds

> very little hope for our future.

> Crowcatcher, Shropshire

> When I was student in South Africa about a decade

> ago, the strong Cape Town winter winds and

> currents sometimes created havoc for migrating

> penguins and sometimes swept them ashore.

> Interested parties (mainly white people) used to

> go in droves to the shores to clean them up and

> get them back to the water. However many (black)

> people in the townships used to be rendered

> homeless by this same winds as they blew over

> their shacks, but they could never compete with

> the penguins in terms of media attention,

> outpouring of donations and a helping hand to

> rebuild their homes. Dr. Leakey is right, when

> you take care of the human factor, you basically

> have solved 90% of the problem.

> Wanjiku Mwangi, Nairobi, Kenya

> I have worked in conservation for over 25 years

> in DR Congo, including the Kivu area. I agree

> with Richard Leakey's analysis. I would only add

> that development of real alternatives to charcoal

> will require investments in hydroelectric

> installations (eastern Congo has major potential

> for this, and this is significant for neighboring

> East Africa as well) and possibly natural gas

> (reportedly present under Lake Kivu).

> Unfortunately, neither the gorillas nor the

> Virunga Volcanoes can wait until hydro electric

> and gas are in place. Even optimistically this is

> years away. The park and its gorillas must be

> must be protected today and they will also have

> to be protected tomorrow, even after the open

> conflict recedes, and the headlines focus

> elsewhere.

> Dr John A. Hart, Kinshasa, DRC.

> First, Dr. Leaky is inadvertently confusing

> 'commons'with 'opens'. The situation he

> describes- " virtually everbody is involved in the

> scramble for resources " characterizes an open

> access situation. Commons are resources managed

> in common by a group. Coming to the question,

> whether we are asking too much of conservation

> organizations, it is actually the other way

> around. Conservationist often ignore the kind of

> issues that Dr Leaky alludes here. Poverty, rule

> of law, and most importantly, livelihood needs of

> the communities that generate the demands for

> charcoal. For many other wildlife products - such

> as ivory, rhino horns, tiger skins etc., demand

> is generated by the wealthy people. SO, poor

> people are not always at blame.

> Prakash Kashwan, Bloomingotn, Indiana - USA

> My best wishes for all your efforts, I am myself

> involved with charitable work and events, but

> more often than not question what it's all about

> in the end. Somehow the decent portion of our

> society keeps going, but why the maniacs always

> end up in power is beyond me. As a thinking

> person, I am deeply ashamed to part of the human

> species and incapable of stopping the madness I

> see all around me at all levels.

> Hans Schreuder, Ipswich, UK

> I wish that it were not so but we may have to

> bring them back from their DNA in the future.

> Ronald Newland, Austin, Texas, USA

> With world human population increasing and

> spreading like a plague of parasites there is not

> much hope for the natural world,fast

> vanishing.The only way to stop the wiping out of

> our natural world is to put restrictions on

> people popping out children like there is no

> tomorrow.

> Richard Browne, Exeter.Devon

> The " heart " of the matter is human

> overpopulation. Kenya had 1 million people in

> 1900. It now has 35 million. Still the number of

> births per woman is about 6. It is probable that

> it will fall into massive intertribal civil war

> by 2025. You cannot economically outgrow lack of

> water, fuel and land which is the the answer of

> economists and politicians. But first people will

> eat everything, cut everything, mine the soil of

> any value and always blame someone else. No one

> seems to notice that the only country to really

> cut its population growth rate has the highest

> sustained economic growth rate in the world.

> China.

> Peter Hubbell, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.

> Leakey's theory is interesting, but not

> watertight. I don't understand why the gorillas

> were killed in the first place; if it was to

> eliminate global attention, it clearly didn't

> work well (as evidenced by the numerous worldwide

> publications denouncing the slaughter).

> Nevertheless, this is a situation that needs to

> be changed, and conservation organizations can't

> do it alone. Maybe rather than starting wars, the

> U.S. government could spend that $450 billion to

> aid Rwanda and the DRC...

> Spencer Harjung, Elkton, Maryland, United States

> I believe that we should be focusing on resolving

> the human conflict and the DRC's and Rwandan

> people's constant threat of the guerilla militia,

> rather than just focusing on the habitat and

> ecosystem issues. It seems like the rest of the

> world chooses to be apalled by the death of a

> beetle who wandered onto the nest of ants, rather

> than say a word about the thousands of ants

> crawling and attacking at their feet. The deaths

> of the gorillas are tragic, yes, but we should

> definitely be aware of the whole picture.

> Drew, Eustis, USA

> Dr. Leakey's analysis of the situation is

> accurate, if a touch incomplete. The sad truth

> remains that perennially impoverished nations

> such as Rwanda and the DRC will inevitably find

> themselves mired in the blood of innocents as the

> politically and militarily savvy few duke it out

> for increasingly limited resources. The symptom

> at this moment may appear to be charcoal, but the

> cause runs far deeper, and the treatment is

> still, as of yet, unknown. Pray for the

> inhabitants of this troubled land, human and

> otherwise.

> Andrew, Bronx, United States

> It isn't charcoal. It is overpopulation and there

> isn't a politician alive who has the guts to

> tackle that problem. The idea that death and

> endangerment are " just one of many casualties of

> war " may be brilliant in the rarefied air of

> politics and media, but I think most of those

> people are dumber than dirt anyway. The long-term

> solution is human contraception. Between the

> do-gooders, religion, the bleeding hearts and the

> political cowards, any money spent now on the

> gorillas might as well be burned. Wolves don't

> even breed when there isn't enough food. Humans

> get over yourselves. Get over the idea that Earth

> was made entirely for you consumption and

> destruction. Until we discard that ideology and

> religion's imperative to breed, we might as well

> accept the consequences - the inexorable move to

> destruction of all animals, including Homo sap,

> through starvation and war.

> Marthalynne Webb, Rogue River, Oregon, USA

> In my college days, I would grow colonies of tiny

> creatures in a petri dish. They thrived in the

> beginning when the nutrients in the dish were

> enough to sustain the life of the colony, then

> when the population reached a certain size, it

> was overwhelmed by its own waste. It died. It

> seems now that we are on the petri dish of Earth

> and our population is reaching the limits for

> Earth to sustain us.

> Deanna Dana, Las Vegas NV USA

> As a person who worked at Rockefeller University

> in research to produce the first birth control

> pill, Enovid, it's clear to me the problem

> continues to be overpopulation. Clearly, the

> Gorillas have no choices, and the population's

> need for the basics to support their lives

> unavailable. In my opinion, we should have as

> many breeding pairs of Gorillas in natural

> setting parks outside of Africa as possible. It

> doesn't seem realistic for us to expect them to

> survive any other way.

> Jacquie Schmall, Sausalito, CA

> The only way that you can save the mountain

> gorilla is to remove them to a safer location.

> The gorilla does not care where it is as long as

> it has enough to eat. Chimps are saved like this

> all the time. Then sometime in the future they

> might be taken back if these wars ever end.

> Because if you do not do this you will lose them

> all.

> Barbara Griffith, Auburn, Washington USA

> The populace south of the Sahara has been and

> forever will be a drain on the productive regions

> of the world. This area has the resources to

> alter their status in life but ignorance and

> greed has held back progress while the rest of

> the world developed. The only thing in my

> perspective worth saving in Africa are the

> animals.

> R. Miller, USA

> If we humans continue on this ultra-consumer

> based society we will kill ourselves off this

> century and even worse still is the fact that if

> we become a species that not only genocides but

> now xenocides and kills off entire species of

> sentient creatures (dolphins, whales, gorillas,

> bonobos which are all being driven towards

> extinction) then we are the indeed the worst form

> of life in the universe for we are capable of

> destroying entire peaceful sentient species for

> our own personal gain :_(. Obviously it is not

> everyone doing this directly many indigenous

> peoples across the earth have taught respect for

> the environment and our 'mother' earth. We must

> remember the calls of peoples like Chief Sitting

> Bull and CHANGE NOW! Peace, Love, and Evolution

> (lest we become the most despicable species in

> the universe) Sequoia

> Sequoia Sempervirens, Arcata, California, usa

> I agree with Dr Richard Leakey. I also think

> there should be a concerted effort to transfer

> technology to Africa and make sure that the

> energy needs of people are met by solar. After

> all Africa is a continent with the abundance of

> sunshine and if the energy needs were solved by

> other means, the charcoal production would stop

> making sense. In the process forests, gorillas

> and other animals would be saved.

> Beata, Ottawa, Canada

> By not acting strongly enough, our governments

> hinder all organizations' ability to 1. protect

> all species,in this case the gorillas of the DRC,

> 2. end conflict, 3.give aid. We cannot accept

> that gorillas are casualties of war when they are

> specifically hunted and murdered for no reason.

> They cannot be considered collateral damage.

> Lucy DeLancey, Tampico, Mexico

> When will the people of Africa begin taking

> responsibility for the violence they perpetrate

> on themselves and how they affect the world? If

> Africa is set upon destroying itself through war,

> corrupt government, AIDS, and abandoning its own

> children via the above - then we, in the rest of

> the world, have a right to protect children and

> endangered species from them. For too long,

> Africa has been viewed as a helpless victim

> unable to help itself. If they cannot or will not

> save their own dying continent, then they cannot

> expect the rest of the world to idly sit back and

> watch while they destroy the last of a species.

> Ellen Leeper, Mount Vernon, WA 98273

> Most suffering is caused by people having

> children that they cannot feed let alone educate.

> The world's population is growing by one billion

> a year. We need to make contraception and

> abortion readily available and encourage planned

> pregnancies. When the population grows beyond the

> resources necessary to support it, it will

> eventually collapse in famine and hardship. As

> the population of Easter island grew the eco

> systems were destroyed, and a once forested

> island denuded. There was eventually not one tree

> standing.

> Amanda Youngleson, Cape Town

> Whilst so much money is being raised, why are the

> rangers being paid just $5 per day? Where is the

> money going? Africa is corrupt and always has

> been, but it is important to see these questions

> answered.

> Rob Ellingworth, London

> As much as agree with Dr Leaky that we should

> protect the mountain gorillas I don't agree with

> him equating the animals to humans that they are

> our relatives

> Ernest Larbi, Tema Ghana

> I've been watching this degradation of wood

> biomass in Tanzania for 27 years. World oil

> prices will continue to raise putting

> alternatives such as kerosene out of reach of

> most people. TANESCO, our State Power com. has

> just requested a price rise for electricity of

> 40%. 20 years ago the World Bank had a

> multi-million rehabilitation project with TANESCO

> which included a charcoal from waste project.

> When the budget was squeezed guess what went

> first. 1st world just to busy enjoying life and

> of course playing at war esp where they want

> influence over minerals inc oil. The DRC does not

> manufacture guns and bullets and the number of

> actual bad guys is really quite small. Still, as

> long as it's not in " your " back yard eh !!

> Neil Baker, Iringa Tanzania

> This is an extraordinary situation. I would

> support a world action (UN-sponsored??) to

> permanently take these mountains away from the

> CONGO and RWANDA and establish a heavily defended

> international research preserve. The people in

> this area have demonstrated that they are far too

> irresponsible to possess such a precious

> resource. My political leaning is democratic,

> liberal, and humanitarian, but the Congolese and

> Rwandans have demonstrated over and over that

> they are unable to care for the mountain

> gorillas. I have no doubt that the funds could be

> raised to take this portion of their territory

> away, pacify it, defend its border, and establish

> a permanent international preserve.

> Dr. Kraig Derstler, New Orleans, LA, USA

> There is clearly blame to be laid at the feet of

> Western governments, Multi-nationals and

> consumers. We allow the plundering of ecosystems

> so we can have ipods, laptops and cellphones but

> then are outraged that mountain gorillas are

> being slaughtered. The time has come for

> consumers in the west (a growing number of whom

> are self-labelled environmentalists) to challenge

> the rights of the corporations whose goods they

> purchase.

> Adam Chimienti, Astoria, NY USA

> Bravo, I couldn't agree more. Dr. Leakey has

> perfectly explained the crux of the greatest

> environmental issues. Fixing human problems such

> as greed and over consumption and inefficient

> technology are the best way to insure the

> continuation of all life on the planet.

> Mark Larson, Mass City, USA

> Events in the Middle East tend to hog our

> attention and resources. In the meantime, other

> areas of the world with huge problems, like the

> Republic of Congo and Darfur, go a'begging.

> Joe Blanda, Austin, TX - USA

> I am truly baffled by these recurring stories of

> conservation and militias and poverty. it seems

> pretty clear: humans are responsible for

> everything they do. the Western countries

> manufacture the guns and ammunitions, and sustain

> local conflicts to better exploit the resources

> of a given area. the poor Gorillas are simply a

> by-product of that process. playing boy-scouts

> with the notion of conservation is as useless as

> trying to cure lung cancer in children without

> removing their smoking parents.

> Lio Spiegler, brooklyn/NY

> I agree with everything Dr Richard Leakey has

> said. I am from Africa and can honestly say that

> when people are in so much poverty they don't

> care or think about animals and the environment -

> or each other at all. When you are hungry and

> threatened with violence (Real war) you only care

> about surviving. In Africa the only way to save

> wildlife and the environment is to include the

> people, to solve their problems as best you can.

> If you don't help them you cannot save anything.

> Lucille Hart, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa

> The question to ask is this: who is exporting

> guns to Congo? And when we answer this question,

> we ask that country to stop their exportations of

> weapons. If that country does not stop, all

> countries should embargo that country. The arms

> exports would stop in a heartbeat. In fact, there

> should be international laws already in place

> that make it illegal for any country to sell

> weapons to another.

> Julian Vigo, Montreal, Canada

> Wildlife and the forests are a part of nature's

> harmony on the planet. Every living organism has

> a purpose. We all depend on each other for our

> daily needs. The human race has a legal, social

> and moral resonsibility in protecting culture and

> the lives of animals on our planet. Governments

> as elected leaders must take a proactive role.

> Thaddeus Loo, Singapore

> Many of the conservation organisations are good

> at soliciting funds, not at actually doing the

> right thing with them. Human development and war

> are the enemies here, not poachers. Unless food,

> water, shelter, disease, jobs, overpopulation and

> justice issues are addressed, poaching, terrorism

> and wars will continue to escalate - hardly the

> purview of conservation organisations.

> Jose K., Sacramento, California USA

> I completely agree with Dr. Leakey. I am a

> passionate wildlife photographer and have

> travelled to a number of wilderness areas in

> Africa and India. The common theme in all these

> places is that the push of population is bringing

> people closer in to contact with wildlife. It is

> no use to just focus on conserving the wildlife.

> One needs to put as much emphasis on improving

> the lot of these poor communities that simply

> cannot understand why the life of a wild animal

> in their area is so important to the rest of the

> world.

> Vijai, Muscat, Oman

>

> I agree with Dr Leakey entirely that this is a

> human issue, not simply a conservation issue. The

> land is capable of sustaining a fixed number of

> humans, traditionally based on a nomadic culture.

> These nomadic peoples now live in cities, and

> population has rocketed over recent times. The

> land, which is marginal in terms of agricultural

> potential, simply cannot sustain the populations

> now living there. The population rise is partly

> fuelled by better (although still not ideal)

> healthcare, but also by the presence of islam and

> catholicism, both of which encourage the spread

> of faith by increasing their populations. Until

> we accept that there is an upper limit to the

> number of humans that an area can sustain, we

> cannot begin to improve the situation there. As

> for solutions...I'm all out of magic wands

> Piush, Bingley

> I think this is totally repulsive and tragically

> unstoppable. If there is no political will to

> stop global plundering of fish stocks what hope

> for a few gorillas?

> michael beaumont, Riguepeu, France

> Nothing can be done to help the wildlife of the

> world. Humans are a destructive vindictive and

> greedy species. There are far too many humans on

> the planet and yet the call comes to save them

> when natural disasters impact. I for one spend my

> charity money on education in the hope that the

> ill educated continue to learn and stop breeding.

> Paul, hull

> I agree in principal with Dr Leakey. We have a

> similar problem in Zambia with charcoal

> production which for many people who make

> charcoal is the only method of acquiring cash to

> purchase food and day to day goods. What are the

> potential and affordable sources of alternative

> fuel which can be made available to the people of

> these countries? What are the alternative

> livelihoods and who can help govt.'implement'

> them ? until these questions can be answered then

> gorillas will continue to die...

> simon bicknell, Lusaka, Zambia

> Dr Leakey is absolutely correct. the only way to

> conserve an area or species is to make those who

> live in those areas affected want to, and if they

> have other more pressing things to worry about,

> such as getting enough to eat or live by then the

> overall state of the landscape around them is

> unlikely to be of concern. Don't forget that the

> UK was covered by forest until quite recently in

> planetary term, then we moved in and used the

> forests for cooking, ship building, etc. Let him

> that is without sin cast the first stone...

> Darren Hughes, March, UK

> Dr Leakey is right. Conservation without local

> community involvement does not work. Charcoal

> production is the catalyst for vast environmental

> damage. Here in the West Indies where charcoal

> production has stopped/been controlled, forests

> have rebounded. NO, endangered species are not

> collateral damage and YES we need to continue

> working to save them. But the root, seemingly

> intractable, issue is human population growth.

> Karl Watson, Barbados

> 'Environmental crisis' is a misnomer; *we* are

> the crisis, over-exploiting our own habitat. If

> or when we disappear, life will restore its own

> balance. Hence, it's a problem of

> self-management, as Richard says. A suggestion:

> ask individuals to sponsor (i.e. employ) *named*

> park rangers/ development educators? I'd do it

> now if I knew how.

> Brian McTavish, Edinburgh

> First we hear about the slaughter of thousands of

> elephants, then came the rhinos, followed by

> Greveys zebra and hunters hartebeste. Now the

> cheetahs are disappearing and today the mountain

> gorillas are in the rifle sights. Tomorrow we

> will read about the next species in the line of

> fire and ALL of the above species will be

> forgotten as we mourn the latest victims. Richard

> Leakey and a few like him are valiantly fighting

> a losing battle for consevation because most of

> the people who are in a position to do something

> simply turn the page and see what else is in the

> news today.

> richard Palmer, essen. Germany

> The problem is growth. We have based our economy,

> and maybe our entire modern civilisation form, on

> a very wrong premise: growth, constant growth.

> And we cannot keep it that way. Of course new

> forms of energy can be investigated, and I do

> support this research, but if we want to put a

> definite end to the global problem, there's only

> one solution: stop population growth. Now. And of

> course develop a new economic system not based on

> growth. If we keep ourselves under a reasonable

> number, we can and will have a peaceful

> coexistence with the rest of lifeforms on Earth,

> including the wonderful mountain gorillas.

> Violeta Gràcia, Sabadell, Catalonia

> Conflict zones, esp. in Africa, have witnessed

> the worst crimes, both on humans and other

> species. These wars are now ecological wars. A

> lot of wars in Africa are for basic human rights

> which are as much a part of ecological concerns

> as is the welfare of animals and environment.

> These are wars for water, for sustenance, for

> dignity, for independence - the same concepts

> that the animals in the forests fight for. These

> are wars for a safe environment, of which both

> humans and animals form a part of. Thank you Dr.

> Richard, for your views.

> Karuna, Bombay

> At last, a nuanced view of conservation. it seems

> that many well meaning people would like

> endangered animals to live in some sort of

> hermetically sealed human free zone. the fact is

> that the habitats that house some of the planet's

> most endangered species are also home to millions

> of humans, and any serious attempt to preserve

> biodiversity must surely focus on finding a way

> for these millions to live side by side with

> other species, not fondly imagining places where

> humans just don't live.

> William, United Kingdom

> I was so upset to see the picture of the Gorillas

> that had been slaughtered by wicked people. The

> local people need to be helped to live without

> destroying the forests. Alternatives must be

> found for them. The fighting must be stopped

> between these people. They must learn to

> compromise and live together in peace and

> harmony. And the killing of the wildlife and the

> Gorillas must be stopped. It's not rocket science

> - can't these people see the damage they are

> doing to the animals, forests, each other and the

> planet? We are all born with the same

> intelligence. Is it so difficult for these people

> to follow a humane, considerate way of life?

> Ann Webster, Stanford le Hope, Essex, England

> Until governments around the world really start

> to look a the long term African situation with

> regards to poverty and corruption there is no

> doubt in my mind the ruthless murder of the

> gorillas (and many other species caught up in the

> bush meat and ivory trade) will continue until

> extinction of the species.

> Julian Carnall, Kilifi, Kenya

> I don't know how many hundreds of thousands of

> people have already been killed in that war ,but

> I would suggest that the human tragedy has

> already somewhat outweighed the " tragedy " of the

> loss of nine gorillas!

> villamarce, Bristol

>

> A series of thought-provoking environmental opinion pieces

> Story from BBC NEWS:

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/6983914.stm

>

> Published: 2007/09/10 09:05:03 GMT

>

> © BBC MMVII

> --

> Kim Bartlett, Publisher of ANIMAL PEOPLE Newspaper

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