http://primatology.net/2006/07/12/gorilla-susceptibility-to-ebola-virus/ We ain’t monkeyin’ around here. Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:16:46 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://primatology.net/2006/07/12/gorilla-susceptibility-to-ebola-virus/#comment-30 Ebola virus has decimated over 5,000 gorillas « Primatology.org Sat, 09 Dec 2006 15:59:29 +0000 http://primatology.wordpress.com/2006/07/12/gorilla-susceptibility-to-ebola-virus/#comment-30 [...] In July of this year, I shared with you an overview of a publication that outlined how social organisms, like gorillas are so very susceptible to getting and dying from Ebola. In my post I criticized the authors for not fully attributing issues like deforrestation and poaching, that were also facilitating the decimation of the population and ultimately bringing Ebola closer to other gorilla populations. [...] [...] In July of this year, I shared with you an overview of a publication that outlined how social organisms, like gorillas are so very susceptible to getting and dying from Ebola. In my post I criticized the authors for not fully attributing issues like deforrestation and poaching, that were also facilitating the decimation of the population and ultimately bringing Ebola closer to other gorilla populations. [...]

]]> http://primatology.net/2006/07/12/gorilla-susceptibility-to-ebola-virus/#comment-7 Ape Meat Sold in U.S., European Black Markets | Primatology.org Thu, 20 Jul 2006 00:31:43 +0000 http://primatology.wordpress.com/2006/07/12/gorilla-susceptibility-to-ebola-virus/#comment-7 [...] Whoever thinks this is a delicacy really are outstandingly jaded. I won’t even touch the argument that the transport of this meat is less than sanitary… but what about the one that primates harbour pathogens that also affect humans. Ebola for instance is epidemic in chimps and gorillas, and spread to humans during the butchering and hunting of such animals. One of the many hypotheses that attempt to explain how HIV crossed over to humans is that the virus passed into people by this hunting and/or butchering of an ape, most probably a chimpanzee or gorilla. Hunting and butchering produces blood splatters that easily create infective aerosols. [...] [...] Whoever thinks this is a delicacy really are outstandingly jaded. I won’t even touch the argument that the transport of this meat is less than sanitary… but what about the one that primates harbour pathogens that also affect humans. Ebola for instance is epidemic in chimps and gorillas, and spread to humans during the butchering and hunting of such animals. One of the many hypotheses that attempt to explain how HIV crossed over to humans is that the virus passed into people by this hunting and/or butchering of an ape, most probably a chimpanzee or gorilla. Hunting and butchering produces blood splatters that easily create infective aerosols. [...]

]]> http://primatology.net/2006/07/12/gorilla-susceptibility-to-ebola-virus/#comment-6 Cell Phones & Mining, new threats to Gorilla Populations | Primatology.org Mon, 17 Jul 2006 03:28:47 +0000 http://primatology.wordpress.com/2006/07/12/gorilla-susceptibility-to-ebola-virus/#comment-6 [...] Recently, I discussed how the encroachment of humans on gorilla habitats has affected their social group stability and affected their survivability towards infectious diseases such as the Ebola virus. One reason why gorilla habitats are being destroyed, and subsequently driven death by way of communicable diseases, is from deforrestation efforts from the mining industry. They are not to blame, though, the Worldwatch Institute has issued a report surprisingingly linking consumption of cell phones with endangering primates in the Congo. Coltan is a mineral needed for cell phone production, and with the rise of cell phone technologies throughout the world — the mines in western Africa are pumping out tons of this material, creating more demand to open newer mines. The depressing news is that instead of recycling for new coltan from the thousands of cell phones being thrown out everyday, “it is being mined out of the eastern region of the Congo, which is making life difficult for the gorillas that live there.” [...] [...] Recently, I discussed how the encroachment of humans on gorilla habitats has affected their social group stability and affected their survivability towards infectious diseases such as the Ebola virus. One reason why gorilla habitats are being destroyed, and subsequently driven death by way of communicable diseases, is from deforrestation efforts from the mining industry. They are not to blame, though, the Worldwatch Institute has issued a report surprisingingly linking consumption of cell phones with endangering primates in the Congo. Coltan is a mineral needed for cell phone production, and with the rise of cell phone technologies throughout the world — the mines in western Africa are pumping out tons of this material, creating more demand to open newer mines. The depressing news is that instead of recycling for new coltan from the thousands of cell phones being thrown out everyday, “it is being mined out of the eastern region of the Congo, which is making life difficult for the gorillas that live there.” [...]

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