Brief 3: Adopt an Animal - Content

I need to start gathering content for the website now I have decided what I want to include on the site.

Timeline

Petitions
I decided to make some believable petitions based on real ones and issues that could be used for content.

• Bring Gorilla George out of isolation at The Gorilla Foundation
• Protect Sumatran Orangutans habitat 30 Hills
• Stop poachers in Salonga National Park - the only protected habitat for bonobos
• Help stop the illegal wildlife trade

Blog
I wanted some blog headlines that could be used on the website as well, and I looked on the virunga national park website for realistic headings.

• Rangers finally catch a glimpse of ____ baby
• An update on ____, the orphan orangutan
• Ranger ____ has been injured
• A day in the life of a ranger
• Young gorilla found alone has been rescued
• World population of ____ now estimated at

Your Money has helped to...

• Build an electric fence to stop wildlife interfering with crops
• Help research
• Protect national parks
• Buy boots and equipment for rangers
• Promoting sustainable forestry and agriculture
• Vaccines against ebola!

Real Time Statistics

• ___ ranger boots bought
• ___ rangers monitored
• ___ acres protected
• ___ 

Sources

http://virunga.org/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/222365300326960320/

Bonobo

Habitat and Range

Bonobos are only found in only one country: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They live in the heart of theCongo Basin, the second largest rainforest on earth. They inhabit approximately 500,000 square kilometers (193,000 square miles) of tropical forest south of the Congo River and north of the Kasai River, where the average rainfall is between 63 and 80 inches per year.

Diet

Bonobos are essentially frugivores (fruit makes up half of their diet), but they also eat vegetation and occasionally supplement their diet with insects, larvae, earthworms, eggs, and even small mammals. 

Bonobo communities are peace-loving and egalitarian. Bonobos are considered to have a matriarchal society, meaning that females have a higher social status than males and social interactions are female-centered and female-dominated. Females have strong social bonds amongst themselves, but they do not exclude males.

Bonobos are the most vocal of the great apes. Their vocal communication is complex, frequent and often accompanied by hand gestures. Vocal communication plays an important role in bonobo society. Bonobos communicate where to find their favorite food using calls and squeals and can provide specific details about food quality and preference using a combination of vocal sequences. The voice of a bonobo is melodic and high pitched, in contrast to the deeper and more guttural vocalizations of a chimpanzee.

bonobo groups tend to be more peaceful and are led by females. They also maintain relationships and settle conflicts through sex

Bonobos and chimpanzees look very similar and both share 98.7% of their DNA with humans—making the two species our closest living relatives. 

Civil unrest and increasing poverty in the area around the bonobos’ forests have contributed to bonobo poaching and deforestation. Though the size of the bonobo population is largely unknown, it has likely been declining for the last 30 years. Scientists believe that the decline will continue for the next 45 to 55 years due to the bonobo’s low reproductive rate and growing threats.

Civil unrest in the region around the bonobo’s home territory has led to many bonobo deaths, as gangs of poachers have been free to invade Salonga National Park, one of few protected areas for bonobos. In addition, unrest has made modern weaponry and ammunition more available, enabling hunting, and the military has at times sanctioned the hunting and killing of bonobos.

Humans hunt bonobos to eat them, trade them as bushmeat, keep them as pets and for use in traditional medicine. Specific bonobo body parts are believed to enhance sexual vigor or strength. The number of bonobos lost to poaching each year is not known, but the number of bonobo charms available in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo suggests that poaching may be common.

Only part of the bonobo’s range lies in protected areas. A growing and moving human population, combined with slash-and-burn agriculture and commercial logging, leaves bonobos outside parks at risk of losing their homes.

Source

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/bonobo

http://www.bonobo.org/bonobos/what-is-a-bonobo/

Gorillas

Great apes are different from monkeys for a variety of reasons: they are larger, walk upright for a longer period of time, don’t have tails and have much larger, more developed brains.

There are four subspecies of gorillas: the eastern lowland or Grauer’s gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri); the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei); the western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla); and the Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehl).

Diet

Gorillas are herbivores and eat leaves, shoots, roots, vines and fruits.

Population

Eastern lowland gorilla numbers have rapidly declined to below 5,000 today. Critically endangered, there are fewer than 300 Cross River gorillas. Mountain gorillas, another endangered subspecies, number at around 700. A recent survey has shown that there are around 150,000-200,000 western lowland gorillas.

FAST FACTS

Height: Around 5.5 feet when upright (males); 4.5-5 feet when upright (females).
Weight: 300-450 lbs (males); around 200 lbs (females).
Lifespan: 30-50 years.

Behavior

Gorillas are ground-dwelling and live in groups of 6-12 with the oldest and largest silverback leading a family of females, their young and younger males called blackbacks. The silverback makes the decisions on when his group wakes up, eats, moves and rests for the night. Because he must protect his family at all times, the silverback tends to be the most aggressive. In such situations, he will beat his chest and charge at the perceived threat.

Gorillas are shy animals that are most active during the day. At dusk, each gorilla constructs a ‘nest’ of leaves and plant material in which it will sleep. Mothers usually share their nests with nursing infants.

Young males may leave their family groups as they become older and either live as solitary silverbacks or create their own family groups. The silverback has the exclusive rights to mate with the females in his group.

Reproduction
Mating Season: Throughout the year.
Gestation: 8.5 months.
Litter size: 1 baby.
Gorilla infants are helpless at birth and weigh about 3-4 lbs. They learn to crawl at about 2 months and are walking by the time they are around 8 or 9 months. Mother gorillas nurse their babies for about 3 years, following which the young become more independent.

Threats

Gorillas are threatened by habitat loss due to increasing human populations, poaching for the bushmeat trade and diseases like ebola. Species that live in higher elevations, like mountain gorillas, are also affected by climate change, which has the potential to impact gorillas directly by altering their habitat, and indirectly by affecting agriculture yields in nearby communities, which in turn puts more pressure on remaining habitat.

DEVELOPING TOURISM

Ecotourism provides opportunities for protecting gorillas and their forest homes and for helping the local people. WWF has habituated gorilla groups to humans to develop opportunities for gorilla tourism. The organization has also trained trackers and guides as part of the development of controlled tourism programs.

MONITORING POPULATIONS

WWF conducts research into the ecology, distribution and population biology of gorillas. The organization also supports research into the spread of diseases between humans and gorillas and the natural spread of diseases such as Ebola, as well as disease prevention. Park rangers are often the ones monitoring gorillas, and so WWF and our partners have established a ranger-based monitoring program for mountain gorillas that documented a 17% increase in gorilla numbers in the Virunga Mountains over a 14-year period.

PRESERVING HABITAT

Habitat destruction is a concern for all four gorilla subspecies. WWF has worked to designate new protected areas for gorillas in many places, like in Cameroon, where gorilla sanctuaries would provide havens for the rare cross river gorilla as well as the western lowland gorilla. WWF also collaborates with local governments in the Congo Basin, timber companies and international lending institutions to promote dialogue, encourage the best environmental practices and promote the adoption of forest certification standards.

Source

http://www.defenders.org/gorilla/what-you-can-do

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/gorilla

Orangutan

Known for their distinctive red fur, orangutans are the largest arboreal mammal, spending most of their time in trees. Long, powerful arms and grasping hands and feet allow them to move through the branches. These great apes share 96.4% of our genes and are highly intelligent creatures.

The name orangutan means "man of the forest" in the Malay language. In the lowland forests in which they reside, orangutans live solitary existences. They feast on wild fruits like lychees, mangosteens, and figs, and slurp water from holes in trees. They make nests in trees of vegetation to sleep at night and rest during the day. Adult male orangutans can weigh up to 200 pounds. Flanged males have prominent cheek pads called flanges and a throat sac used to make loud verbalizations called long calls. An unflanged male looks like an adult female. In a biological phenomenon unique among primates, an unflanged male can change to a flanged male for reasons that are not yet fully understood.

The two species of orangutan, Bornean and Sumatran, differ a little in appearance and behavior. While both have shaggy reddish fur, Sumatran orangutans have longer facial hair. Sumatran orangutans are reported to have closer social bonds than their Bornean cousins. Bornean orangutans are more likely to descend from the trees to move around on the ground. Both species have experienced sharp population declines. A century ago there were probably more than 230,000 orangutans in total, but the Bornean orangutan is now estimated to number about 41,000 (Endangered) and the Sumatran about 7,500 (Critically Endangered). 

Orangutans are "gardeners" of the forest, playing a vital role in seed dispersal in their habitats. They live in tropical forests and prefer forest in river valleys and floodplains of their respective islands. Orangutans' extremely low reproductive rate makes their populations highly vulnerable. Females give birth to one infant at a time about every 3-5 years, so these species can take a long time to recover from population declines. With human pressure only increasing, orangutans face an increasing risk of extinction.

STOPPING ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE

WWF works with TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, to help governments enforce restrictions on the trade in live animals and orangutan products. We also help to rescue trafficked orangutans, which recover in refuges and are eventually released back into the wild.

PROTECTING ORANGUTANS

WWF works in both Borneo and Sumatra to secure well-managed protected areas and wider forest landscapes to connect sub-populations of orangutans. Our work on sustainable production of commodities contributes to the conservation of major orangutan habitats in Borneo and Sumatra. We also monitor orangutan populations, work on ecotourism and provide community based support for orangutan conservation.

PONY’S NEW LIFE

25, July 2013

Lately, Pony has been highly publicized in the cyberworld. An article in Bahasa Indonesia on Pony quickly spread because her story is so tragic. This beautiful female orangutan was taken from her habitat and kept in a house. Not to be kept as a pet, which in itself is illegal, but more appallingly, she was forced into prostitution.

Source

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/orangutan

http://orangutan.or.id/ponys-new-life-2/

Black Spider Monkey

The black spider monkey—also known as the Guiana or red-faced spider monkey—is found in eastern South America in areas north of the Amazon River. They are one of seven species of spider monkeys found in Latin America and one of the largest primate species in South America.

The black spider monkey is an essential part of the tropical rainforest ecosystem. They play a key role in seed dispersal, allowing their forest environment to continue to grow and thrive.

The destruction of tropical rainforests and threats from hunting pose the greatest challenge to the black spider monkey’s survival. Because they prefer mature tropical forests and seldom venture into disturbed habitats, these monkeys are especially vulnerable to the effects of forest fragmentation.

To combat the destruction of the black spider monkey’s habitat, WWF works to protect the forests they need to survive. We support the creation and management of protected areas and promote responsible forest management, including Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, outside of protected areas.

Typically, females give birth to only a single baby every two to five years. Young monkeys depend completely on their mothers for about ten weeks, but after that time they begin to explore on their own and play amongst themselves. Mothers continue to care for their young for the first year of their lives, and often move about with their offspring clinging to their backs.

Indigenous peoples often hunt spider monkeys for food, and the animals are usually agitated by human contact. Logging and deforestation continue to shrink the space that spider monkeys are able to call home.

Spider monkeys (of several species) live in the tropical rain forests of Central and South America and occur as far north as Mexico. They have long, lanky arms and prehensile (gripping) tails that enable them to move gracefully from branch to branch and tree to tree. These nimble monkeys spend most of their time aloft, and maintain a powerful grip on branches even though they have no thumbs.

Source

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/black-spider-monkey

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/spider-monkey/

Chimpanzee

ike us, chimps are highly social animals, care for their offspring for years and can live to be over 50. In fact, chimpanzees are our closest cousins; we share about 98 percent of our genes.

In their habitat in the forests of central Africa, chimpanzees spend most of their days in the tree tops. When they do come down to earth, chimps usually travel on all fours, though they can walk on their legs like humans for as far as a mile. They use sticks to fish termites out of mounds and bunches of leaves to sop up drinking water. 

Despite our shared lineage, humans are pushing chimpanzees toward extinction. Chimps have already disappeared completely from four countries and are under tremendous pressure everywhere else they live.

ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE

Poaching is another prominent threat. Bushmeat has always been a primary food source in Central and West Africa, but in recent years poaching has become commercialized to satisfy the appetites of wealthy urban residents. Infant chimpanzees are frequently taken alive and sold in cities as pets.

Chimps are generally fruit and plant eaters, but they also consume insects, eggs, and meat, including carrion. They have a tremendously varied diet that includes hundreds of known foods.

Chimpanzees are one of the few animal species that employ tools. They shape and use sticks to retrieve insects from their nests or dig grubs out of logs. They also use stones to smash open tasty nuts and employ leaves as sponges to soak up drinking water. Chimpanzees can even be taught to use some basic human sign language.

Females can give birth at any time of year, typically to a single infant that clings to its mother's fur and later rides on her back until the age of two. Females reach reproductive age at 13, while males are not considered adults until they are 16 years old.

Source

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/chimpanzee/

http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/chimpanzee


Adopt/Donate

This shows how far your money can go specifically.

You are about to make a big difference.

By donating, you will become an integral part of the effort to save one of the Earth’s most special places. There are few places where a financial gift can have such a meaningful impact.

• Saving critically endangered species, such as the mountain gorilla and forest elephant
• Protecting some of the world’s most awe-inspiring landscapes
• Promoting stability and peace and in eastern Congo
• Letting Virunga’s rangers know there is a global community that supports them in their vital, but dangerous work

Examples of what your money can do in Virunga:

$8.00 – A pair of new boots for a ranger
$16.00 – Funds a ranger to provide 24-hour protection for an elephant herd
$30.00 – One month of support to widow and children of a fallen ranger
$50.00 – One month of health coverage for a ranger and family
$100.00 – One week-long gorilla protection patrol
$150.00 – Funds the construction of electric fence segment that prevents human/wildlife conflict

On WWF you can adopt or donate to the cause, and here are the offers that they have for users: 

Sources

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/222365300326960320/
https://virunga.org/donate/
http://gifts.worldwildlife.org/gift-center/Default.aspx?sc=AWY1302WC912