The Illegal Trade in Live Western Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in Guinea-Bissau and Proposed Conservation Management Actions

Abstract

The western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) is classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with an 80% decrease decline between 1990 and 2014. A major threat to its survival is the illegal trade in live chimpanzees (ITLC), a highly organized criminal activity with national and international scope. Here, we compile the existing information on ITLC in Guinea-Bissau, highlight relevant knowledge gaps, and suggest immediate conservation management actions. ITLC in Guinea-Bissau is likely extensive and is a major factor contributing to the declining of the chimpanzee population. The most urgent measures needed to prevent the ITLC in Guinea-Bissau are to (i) build a centralized database containing information on wildlife kept as pets, (ii) train officials on national and international laws and regulations related to the wildlife trade and to identify protected and threatened species, (iii) define/update penalties for perpetrators holding live chimpanzees, (iv) raising awareness in society on the risks of maintaining wildlife, (v) investigate the ITLC supply trade-chain and the actors’ profile, and (vi) build a sanctuary or rehabilitation center within Guinea-Bissau. Considering the high risk of extinction of the subspecies, addressing the ITLC in Guinea-Bissau and elsewhere in West Africa is urgent.