Chimpanzees and Humans

Chimpanzee and Human Relationship

Most humans agree that they enjoy the physical antics and appearance of the Chimpanzee. However, that doesn’t stop people from going out there to those habitats and destroying them. Humans tend to think about their own quest for growth and not the animals it destroys along the way. For those that don’t live in these areas it is easy to avoid the subject. Yet most people just aren’t well informed about the destruction taking place to the Chimpanzees.

Forestry is very common in the habitat where the Chimpanzees live. The fact that large numbers of trees are cleared out means they have less area to live and to find food. Other areas are cleared out so that mining can take place or so that food can be grown for humans. When these areas are taken down it can upset the entire social structure for these animals. Those that survive have to find a new way of survival.

As humans continue to settle closer and closer to the Chimpanzees, they are being exposed to very dangerous diseases. This is a problem that can wipe out entire troops of them in large numbers. Since they frequently move around they can also leave behind contamination. As a result other Chimpanzee groups may be exposed to those diseases as well.

Bushmeat is a common entity that the villagers around Africa use to survive. This comes from Chimpanzees so large numbers of them are killed for that purpose. Today the United Nations is involved in efforts to stop this practice. They are working on helping the people of Africa find other meat sources for their own survival.

In the United States it is illegal to own Chimpanzees. This legislation was passed due to several reports of aggressive from pets towards their owners. Many people though it was fun to own such an exotic animal. However, they failed to recognize the dangers that came with that. It is import for humans to remember that these are wild animals by nature.

They are still kept as pets in Africa though in large numbers. While the government there does do all they can to confiscate them, there isn’t enough resources to focus on this as much as it needs to be done.

The use of Chimpanzees for various types of research is something that is a sore spot with many people. They don’t feel there is a need to be exposing them to various medical procedures. This includes risky surgeries and even medications that haven’t yet been approved for humans to use. Others argue that this is an amazing opportunity for us to get better medical capabilities for humans.

There is no doubt that humans are the dominant species, but not everyone is comfortable with that. Since we share 94% of the DNA with Chimpanzees, it can be very unnerving to see them going through various types of studies. The use of them for experimental surgery and drug use continues though in many laboratories.

Many organizations out there strive to help protect the Chimpanzee. They are considered endangered at this time. Shedding light on the problem is part of solving it. There are also some wonderful sanctuaries out there such as those established through the Jane Goodall Foundation.

Education programs for young generations are in place too. The idea is that by sharing with them the need to keep these Chimpanzees thriving we can get them to be well aware of it as they become adults. It may change the decisions they make and the impact they have on these animals. Showing compassion towards these animals can go a long way towards securing a future for them.