Tim Knight

Ongoing Ebola outbreaks in central Africa are taking a gruesome toll on both humans and great apes.

In this article, Gretchen Vogel describes how conservationists, primatologists and disease experts are arguing over whether they can or should do anything to limit the spread of the disease.

Some researchers argue that drastic measures – such as transporting hundreds of apes to safe areas and clearing rivers of debris to separate infected and uninfected populations – should be taken to protect the region's great apes. But others say such plans are logistical nightmares that might have little or no effect on the spread of the virus.

Link to Science article

Reference: Science 300, 1645 (2003)