Great Ape Trust of Iowa has announced the Des Moines-based scientific research facility provided $86,656 this year for nearly a dozen primate conservation efforts on three continents.  Dr. Benjamin Beck, director of conservation at Great Ape Trust said the funding – the most ever provided by the organization – will support conservation initiatives for bonobos, chimpanzees and gorillas in Africa; orangutans in Asia and golden lion tamarins in South America.

“At a time when we hear a lot about conservation challenges, Great Ape Trust is working with its partners to provide solutions,” said Beck.  “This is our most ambitous funding year to date and illustrates The Trust’s commitment to the plight of apes and monkeys in the wild.”

The grants will support a variety of grassroots conservation efforts: raincoats for park rangers protecting mountain gorillas in Rwanda, the study of illegal logging on orangutans in Sumatra, computers for a bonobo orphanage in the Congo and the support of agro-forestry efforts in Brazil.

With the latest announcement, Great Ape Trust has awarded $170,644 for international primate conservation efforts over the past three years.  In 2005, The Trust provided $56,488 in conservation grants while approximately $27,500 was awarded in 2004.

While most of the 2006 conservation funds came from Great Ape Trust, nearly $12,000 came from individual donations to The Trust.

“This summer alone, our 1st Annual Bowlathon for Great Apes raised $7,500 for conservation support, demonstrating the commitment of our friends in Des Moines to our mission,” added Beck.

The following are summaries of the conservation efforts supported by Great Ape Trust in 2006:

Orangutan
· Ketambe Research Center
· West Batang Toru Forest
· Orangutan Conservancy (Formerly the Balikpapan Orangutan Society, BOS-USA)

Bonobo
· Great Apes of Congo Center
· Bonobo and Congo Biodiversity Initiative

Chimpanzee
· Kibale Community Fuel Wood Project and Museum
· Nyungwe Forest Beekeeping Project
· Goualougo Triangle Chimpanzee Project

Gorilla
· Berggorilla and Regenwald Direkthilfe

Sanctuaries & Reintroduction Efforts
· Lola Ya Bonobo
· Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project
· Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary
· Chimpanzee Conservation Center
· Pan African Sanctuary Alliance
· Associação Mico-Leão Dourado (Golden Lion Tamarin Association)

Organizations
· Jane Goodall Institute
· Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)
· World Conservation Union (IUCN)

Work Supported in 2003/04

¹The entire Strategy for Conservation is available on request.