Stolen Apes

Challenges and uncertainties in MAKING population estimates

short period of time - over the course of months or even weeks. For this reason, information on ape populations can become outdated very quickly. The existing data on ape population sizes and rates of change must be regarded as educated guesses. IIt is likely that this situation will improve over the next decade. The scientific and conservation communities are increasingly joining efforts to combine local and regional information on great ape populations to assess ape status, evaluate conserva- tion activities and develop tools to assess ape population status. The A.P.E.S. Portal was created to facilitate this process and to provide the most accurate data.

The quantity and quality of information available on both the status and trends of ape populations, and on the threats to and opportunities for conservation have improved considerably over the last decade. However, because of limited resources, it is still not possible to make regular status updates so as to identify threats before they cause great damage. Nor is it pos- sible to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation activities or, if needed, look for promising alternatives. Several studies have shown that ape populations can decline within a disturbingly

Ape populations can decline within a disturbingly short period of time – over the course of months or even weeks. For this reason, information on ape populations can become outdated very quickly.

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