Introduction:
The great apes are being driven to extinction. Across the forest region of West and Central Africa commercial hunting known as bushmeat, facilitated by western-owned logging operations, has be-come the leading threat to the survival of many primates, including gorillas and chimpanzees. The bush-meat crisis is a complex problem involving politics, economics, logging, population, culture, ethics as well as the imbalanced interactions between the developing and the developed world. Such a multifaceted problem requires creative, diverse yet integrated solutions. At the heart of the many factors affecting the great apes are values- known to be highly shaped by culture and poorly understood. This proposed inter-vention focuses on such values toward the great apes, both in relation to enhancing them as well as to better understanding them. The cohort in this initiative involves the most important and ultimately influential of all Africans toward the fate of the great apes, the children.

Background :
Across the forest region of West and Central Africa commercial hunting has become the leading threat to the survival of many primates, including gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos. Primate hunting occurs in 27 of the 44 primate study and conservation projects described in the World Conserva-tion Union's recent status survey on African primates (Oates, 1996b). The latest IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals (IUCN, 1996) shows a large increase in threat status for mammal species, with pri-mates being the major order most threatened by extinction. Many unique and never-studied primate popu-lations are being annihilated, and more will follow if current trends continue (Oates, 1996a) Illegal bushmeat including gorilla, chimpanzee and bonobo has been found in villages near Lope, Ndoki, and Dja Reserves, and in city markets at Yaounde, Bangui, Kinshasa, Pt Noire, and Libreville (Pearce & Ammann, 1995; Ammann: 1996, 1997, 1998; McRae & Ammann, 1997). In a study for World Wildlife Fund, Steel (1994) projects, half the meat sold in Gabon's city and village markets is bushmeat: an estimated $50 million unpoliced trade. Twenty percent of the bushmeat in that report is primates. More re-cently in a region wide review Wilkie & Carpenter (1999) suggest that annual "bushmeat consumption across the Congo Basin may exceed 1 million metric tons." Based on these studies, the bushmeat trade across equatorial Africa could be more than a two billion-dollar annual business.

Discussion with scores of field researchers and conservationists produced consensus that "if the present trend in forest exploitation continues without a radical shift in our approach to conservation, most edible wildlife in the equatorial forests of Africa will be butchered before the viable habitat is torn down" (Rose, 1996b). Jane Goodall (Bowen-Jones, 1998) declared that "unless we work together to change atti-tudes at all levels -- from world leaders to the consumers of illegal bushmeat -- there will be no viable populations of great apes in the wild within 50 years." Further affirmation of the crisis came when more than 30 North American zoos, animal welfare, rainforest, and wildife conservation groups agreed to form a Bushmeat Crisis Task Force headquartered in Washington, D.C. The BCTF has elected a steering com-mittee and hired a professional coordinator to initiate collaborative policy, public education, and field de-velopment projects.

I am an active part of this group. This rally to collaborate must expand beyond traditional wildlife protectors. New partnerships will help human communities in forest, village, town, and city to improve their lives by returning to a balanced relationship within local and regional ecosystems. Teams of professionals and community leaders are needed to enhance human values (Rose, 2000b; Bowman, 2000). In much of central Africa "a general pattern of apathy, fatalism, and materialism towards nature and wildlife" prevails (Kellert, 1996). Most modern Africans have lost their traditional "theistic" reverence for wildlife and many have taken on a harsh utilitarian view (Mordi, 1991). With the spread of cash economy, colonial religion, and urbanized central government, "tribal values of conserving and protecting nonhuman life are rendered spiritually inoperable, while new ecological and ethical foundations for sustaining nature have not emerged" (Kellert, 1996).

Program rationale:
A complex problem requires multiple, innovative solutions which go beyond tradi-tional wildlife protection measures. A broad network of international conservationists have converged to de-velop multiple, layered initiatives on an international, national and regional level. Such initiatives range from political lobbying to elementary school education. This is one such initiative.

After examining a wide range of innovations to confront the commercial bushmeat trade, we have con-cluded that an important long term solution is the establishment of projects to travel to public schools and help teachers and students examine our moral and humanistic relationship with wildlife. The enhancement of empathetic relationships between people and other animals is a prerequisite to sustainable community-based conservation projects. Such initiatives have been greatly lacking in central Africa. This is the first known initiative to determine if and how the values of Africans will shift based on these empathy-based educational interventions. Research on baseline values and on the values shifts that come from the intervention is needed as a tool to assess and strengthen the intervention so we can introduce conservation values in culturaly sensitive way. The overarching goal of this effort is to introduce conservation values to Cameroonian so they may value and protect gorillas and other endangered animals.

Can conservation values be nurtured?
To better understand this initiative it is best to consider the concept of biophilia. Edward O. Wilson conceived the term "biophilia"25 to describe a deep biological need for affiliating with life and nature. Biophilia signifies basic structures of the human relationship and adaptation to the natural world developed over the course of human evolution. These are weak biological tendencies, however, requiring learning and experience if they are to become stable and consistently manifest. Unlike the "hard-wired" instincts of breathing or feeding, which occur almost automatically, the biophilic values must be cultivated to achieve their full expression. They depend on repeated exposure and social reinforcement before emerging as meaningful dimensions of human emotional and intellectual life. Once learned and supported, however, they become key elements of human personality and culture. If conservation initiatives enrich human communities, hopefully the fragile essence of biophilia can grow. These delicate values and conditions require constant reinforcement to become stable and salient aspects of human culture and society. Language, customs and culture all play a role in the formation of the values of living diversity. The concept of biophilia strengthens the argument for aligning conservation strategies to the needs, cultures and values of local communities. Meeting local needs and creating a healthier, more sustainable natural environment is the best way to create an opportunity for the establishing and fostering profound and lasting biophilia. Our intervention in based on the concept that biophilia can be introduced gently and respectfully through inreased awarness of the true nature of gorillas and the environments which support their lives.

There is no interspecies bond more deep and sustained than those formed between apes and their human caretakers (Rose, 1994). The epitome of such bonding has been documented by Dr. Francine Pat-terson and Dr. Ronald Cohn in thesir nearly 30 year relationship with Koko, a captive born female gorilla whom they raised to speak American Sign Language (Patterson & Linder, 1981). The story of Koko's Kitten (Patterson & Cohen, 1985) has sold millions of copies, and has proven a po-tent motivator of human empathy for apes. There is no doubt that North American and European children and adults who read about Koko's love and grief over the death of her kitten are instilled with an empathy for the gorilla that changes their world-view. Exposure of the book to gorilla hunters in Cameroon pro-duced strong reactions of surprise and curiosity and led to much questioning and introspection. This find-ing suggests that the story of Koko's Kitten, as centrepiece of a well constructed educational programme, may have an effect on humane values in African communities. We have begun to test this hypothesis, with very positive results. Koko's Kitten materials have been used in two bilingual elementary schools in the Cameroon capital this year. Results were positive, with clear signs of perception and attitude change in most of the 160 children who read and discussed the book with their teachers in a special class devoted to gorillas.

Understanding values cross culturally:
To identify and understand a person's view of the natural world I have developed the Explanatory concept of the natural world, this concept defines what the natural world is, how it came to be, why it exists and whether it can or should be controlled. All cultures generate explanatory concepts of nature which attempt, either explicitly or implicitly, to account for the phenomenon of the natural world and its relationship to human existence.

In Western culture, the primary explanatory model of the natural world focuses on man's independent interaction with nature and the implications of these interactions. This contrasts with the majority of non-Western cultures, which tend to perceive the natural world in a much broader, more integrated, and far less tangible manner. Nature and wildlife may be viewed as largely beyond the control and direct experience of humans. In modern day Africa, however, Western influence is ubiquitous. Many people have intricately blended views of the natural world which require careful assessment. It is important to measure if our in-terventions are having a beneficial effect, therefore we propose to do both a pre and post test to see if at-titudes and values have shifted. People's view of the natural world and the species within it is shaped by culture.

The following are a set of questions developed to assess an Explanatory Concept of the Natural World in relation to the great apes for children aged 8-14 in the public schools of central and south-east Cameroon, these questions are designed to establish a deeper understanding of how Camerronian children perceive gorillas and the world in which they live, and if these beliefs and attitudes are amenable to change. Questions represent a range of areas it is important to identify when trying to understand a child's view of gorillas/chimpanzees and the natural world.

Program :
Thanks to a grant from a private donor to the Gorilla Foundation, Koko's Kitten has been trans-lated into French and 7,000 copies are being printed. We are now collaborating to develop teacher training manuals to accompany the book. Dr. Bowman and Dr. Rose flew to Cameroon in December, 1999, and have begun to organize a team of professionals across that country, who will initiate the programme in schools throughout the forest regions of Cameroon.

Mr. Chris Mitchell, Director of Cameroon Wildlife Action Fund and the Yaounde Sanctuary oversaw administration of the program in Cameroon in the first round of studies. There are presently 26 orphaned chimpanzees and 7 orphaned gorillas at the Yaounde Wildlife Sanctuary. Mr. Mitchell organized a preliminary assessment of study in Cameroon. His involvement will be crucial to recruitment, selection, and management of Cameroonian staff.

The next step has begun in which French copies of Koko's Kitten and with teacher training manuals to initiate the next phase of implementation. The planned intervention involves a University of Toronto student in Cameroon based at The Yaounde Wildlife Sanctuary who will work with African women and teachers in administering an assessment of children's attitudes toward the great apes based on the ex-planatory concept of the natural world. Following this assessment the children will be given the book of Koko's kitten, it will be read and discussed by each class at length in conjuction with broader discussions of the environment, conservation and human needs. Each class will then be scheduled to come to the wildlife sanctuary where they will be taken on a tour of the facility and shown the many orphaned apes, further dis-cussion of their social interactions and needs will take place. 2 months after these initiatives we will again administer an assessment of the same children's attitudes toward the great apes based on the explanatory concept of the natural world. We will then have a clear indication as to whether attitudes and values have been effected. The University of Toronto student will work this project for 3 months. This project is de-signed to be integrated into the regular school cirriculum. Data from measurements taken will be brought to the Cameroonian ministry of education as impetus for long term support of this project. Longer term plans involve expanding this project throughout the Cameroonian and central African school system and religious missions.

The careful professional development of culturally appropriate programmes to enrich human values so as to conserve gorillas and wildlife in Cameroon is necessary to the survival of the great apes and other en-dangered species.

Thank you for your consideration.