TO PROTECT YOU AND GREAT APES FROM DISEASE

IT IS MORE IMPORTANT NOW THAN EVER BEFORE TO FOLLOW INTERNATIONAL DISEASE MITIGATION GUIDELINES WHEN VISITING GREAT APES.

TO HELP PROTECT GREAT APES FROM DISEASE PLEASE CONSULT THIS WEBSITE AND EQUIP YOURSELF WITH THE MOST UP-TO-DATE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION. BY FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY GREAT APE DISEASE EXPERTS, WE HOPE TO KEEP YOU AND THE GREAT APES YOU CARE ABOUT SAFE. EVERYONE CAN PLAY A ROLE IN PROTECTING GREAT APES.

NONHUMAN GREAT APES ARE CLOSEST LIVING RELATIVES AND SHARE MANY SIMILARITIES WITH HUMANS, SUCH AS COMPLEX EMOTIONS AND INTELLIGENCE AND LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIPS.

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WE ASKED YOU

& THIS IS WHAT YOU TOLD US

1020

58

1020 PEOPLE FROM 58 COUNTRIES

took part in our survey.

had visited great ape tourism sites in Africa before.

of these visitors reported having an up-to-date vaccination status and checking in-country and site specific health requirements before travel.

- BE LIKE THEM -

EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY

According to survey participants, the responsibility to enforce disease mitigation measures while partaking in great ape tourism should be shared among different actors:

Survey participants showed a very high willingness to undertake many protective measures. The more effective they perceived disease mitigation measures, the more willing they were to do them.

READ ON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHY EACH DISEASE MITIGATION MEASURE MUST BE FOLLOWED

*Data collection was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Exeter (Ref. eCORN002530 v3.1) and followed best international practices recommended by the British Psychology Society

THINGS TO REMEMBER

BEFORE INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL &

DURING IN-COUNTRY TRAVEL

STAY INFORMED!

You may be exposed to disease on your travels. Please check and follow the disease prevention guidelines for the country you are travelling to. If your trip is organised through a tour operator, please check if the great ape site you are visiting has additional requirements.

BE PREPARED!

Please bring a surgical facemask (and spares), clean shoes and clothes, and hand sanitiser. Please do not rely on the great ape site to provide these materials. Make sure you know how to wear a facemask properly, and wear one in any crowded places when travelling or after arriving in your country of destination.

NO PERSON EXPERIENCING ANY SIGNS OF ILLNESS CAN VISIT GREAT APES. DO NOT TRAVEL TO THE GREAT APE SITE IF YOU HAVE ANY SYMPTOMS OF ILLNESS AND/OR HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH ANYONE WHO IS SICK

THINGS TO REMEMBER WHILST AT THE GREAT APE SITE

BEFORE TREKKING

ENSURE THAT YOUR HANDS, CLOTHES AND ANY GEAR YOU WILL TAKE TREKKING ARE CLEAN. DISINFECT YOUR SHOES.

PLEASE DO NOT GO TREKKING IF YOU HAVE ANY SIGNS OF ILLNESS SUCH AS A FEVER, COUGH, SNEEZING, LOSS OR CHANGE OF SMELL AND/OR TASTE, GASTRO-INTESTINAL DISCOMFORT, DIARRHEA, VOMITING, NAUSEA AND FATIGUE. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT GREAT APES FROM DISEASE.

Immediately inform your tour operator and/or park staff if you have any symptoms of illness and/or have come into contact with anyone who is sick.

DURING TREKKING

ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR GUIDE!

Your guide has been trained using international best practice disease guidelines

ALWAYS MAINTAIN A SAFE DISTANCE

Maintain a safe distance from great apes at all times. Your guide will inform you of the regulating at the site you are visiting. This will always be an absolute minimum of 7 meters but some great ape sites. require greater distances. Close proximity to great apes, even if wearing a mask, can increase the risk of disease transmission and can be stressful for apes.

WEAR A FACE MASK CORRECTLY

Ensure that you wear a clean surgical or two-layered face mask. Make sure it fits tightly over your nose, mouth and chin, and do not use masks with valves. Wear a mask even if fully vaccinated.