Researchers alarmed

Great apes in Africa severely threatened

Mountain gorilla family in the Virunga National Park in Congo (archive image)

(Bild: WWF)

The great ape population in Africa is severely endangered: More than a third are threatened by mining. German researchers warn that the risk to these 180,000 chimpanzees, bonobos and gorillas has so far been underestimated.

The increasing demand for important minerals such as copper, lithium, cobalt and rare earths, which are needed for the large-scale transition to clean energy, has led to a boom in mining in Africa, write scientists from the German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) in the journal "Science Advances". Among other things, this leads to the deforestation of tropical rainforests. In addition, there are other direct and indirect effects, such as the construction of roads, the settlement of people in previously uninhabited areas, hunting and the possible transmission of diseases.

Data from 17 countries analyzed
For the study, the research team led by scientists from iDiv Halle-Jena-Leipzig used data on mining sites in 17 African countries that have either already been put into operation or are currently being developed. They compared the locations of these mining sites with the habitats of great ape populations, assuming that animals within a radius of ten kilometers were directly affected and those within a radius of 50 kilometers indirectly.

The scientists found the greatest overlaps in the West African countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Mali and Guinea. The habitat of chimpanzees and mining overlapped particularly strongly in Guinea. According to the study, more than 23,000 chimpanzees or up to 83 percent of the ape population there could be directly or indirectly affected by mining activities.

Climate change vs. biodiversity?
"Moving away from fossil fuels is right and important for the climate," says the co-author from the environmental organization Re:wild. However, it must be done in a way that does not jeopardize biodiversity. "Companies, lenders and governments need to recognize that sometimes leaving some areas untouched can be more beneficial for mitigating climate change and preventing future epidemics."