全世界只剩下300隻大猩猩，但是科學家認為他們生存還是有希望。大猩猩中亞種克羅斯河大猩猩（Gorilla gorilla diehli）的生存危機受到盜獵者和棲地破壞的威脅。牠們被世界自然保育聯盟（IUCN）列為瀕危物種紅皮書（Red List of Threatened Species）嚴重瀕危物種。而仍存在的猩猩分散在喀麥隆和奈及利亞邊界山林中的11處。
當前拯救這些亞種大猩猩的計畫正要出爐，這是世界自然保育聯盟物種生存委會靈長類專家小組、國際保育、紐約市立大學和位於紐約布朗克思動物園野生物保育協會共同合作的保育行動。
野生物保育協會非洲專案的主任杜奇（James Deutsch）表示：「雖然猩猩處境看起來很悲慘，不過還不到絕望的程度。初步看來，數量似乎在減少，但是我們有證據顯示牠們在一些棲地之間偶爾遷移。這個發現可望拯救這些猩猩。」
大猩猩可能成為野肉獵人的目標，而分析牠們的基因顯示，過去200年來猩猩數量減少大部分原因是因為狩獵。
森林棲地的切割，則是受到農耕、道路建築和園耕者焚燒森林的影響。該保育計畫預估若全面執行，5年當中要使用將近460萬美元。
There are only 300 of them left, but scientists say the situation of the world's rarest great ape is far from hopeless. Menaced by poachers and squeezed by habitat destruction, the Cross River gorilla, Gorilla gorilla diehli, is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The remaining gorillas are scattered in 11 locations along the mountainous border region between Cameroon and Nigeria.
Now a new action plan to save the sub-species is in the works, based on a coordinated conservation effort drafted by the IUCN-Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group, Conservation International, the City University of New York, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, WCS, based at New York's Bronx Zoo.
"Although the situation looks dire for the Cross River gorilla, it is far from hopeless," said Dr. James Deutsch, director of the WCS Africa Program. "At first glance, the population seems to be fragmented, but we have evidence of occasional migrations between some of the locations, a finding that improves the prospects for saving these gorillas."
Gorillas can be targeted by bushmeat hunters, and genetic analysis of the population reveals a reduction in numbers over the last 200 years that is most likely due to hunting.
The fragmentation of their forest habitat is caused by farming, road-building, and the burning of forests by pastoralists. The estimated cost of implementing the actions recommended in the plan approaches $4.6 million over a five year period.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
