Climate change, along with the rise in extreme events, is expected to become a growing threat to wildlife. However, compared to other animals, not much research has focused on how the impacts of climate change could affect great apes.

In a recent study, scientists looked at how climate change has impacted, and could impact in the future, 363 locations where great apes occur across Africa. They studied the temperatures and rainfall between 1981 and 2010, and then used two climate change scenarios to predict how conditions might change in the near future (2021-2050) and long term (2071-2099).

They also estimated how often extreme events like droughts, floods, wildfires, and crop failures - events that could harm the apes directly or indirectly by increasing competition for habitat - would occur.

Between 2007 and 2016, nearly half of the sites experienced unusually high temperatures, with eastern chimpanzees facing the most intense heat. Under both climate scenarios, temperatures are expected to rise at all locations, and most places will likely face more wildfires and crop failures. The researchers also predicted that 288 locations would see more heavy rainfall, while some areas, particularly those where eastern gorillas live, could experience up to 20 additional consecutive dry days each year, meaning longer periods without any rain.

If efforts to limit global warming to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels succeed, about 84 % of sites would experience frequent heatwaves, and 78 % would face occasional flooding in the next 30 years. If temperatures rise by 3 °C, more places would be affected, and extreme weather events would happen even more often.

This study is the first to show that African great apes are already feeling the effects of climate change, and that these extreme events are likely to become more common. The researchers stress that conservation efforts should focus on increasing the resilience of apes to impacts from climate change.

Stefanie Heinicke

Original publication:
Kiribou, R., Tehoda, P., Chukwu, O., Bempah, G., Kühl, H. S., Ferreira, J., Sop, T., Carvalho, J., Mengel, M., Kulik, L., Mucyo, J. P. S., Hoek, Y. van der & Heinicke, S. (2024): Exposure of African ape sites to climate change impacts. PLOS Climate 3 (2): e0000345