SAGA:principle
What are the great apes? It is no exaggeration to claim that the great apes are the evolutionary cousins of humans. Evidence that has emerged over the past decades from a variety of disciplines as widely distributed as paleontology, physical anthropology, biochemistry, molecular biology, neuroscience, ethology, ecology, and psychology has shown that the distance separating the living great apes from humans is smaller than ever before envisaged. Long-term studies conducted on the demography, reproduction, and cultural behavior of wild populations have irreversibly reduced the man-made gap between apes and ourselves. As a result, most of the observed differences now appear quantitative rather than qualitative in nature.
SAGA stands for "Support for African/Asian Great Apes". SAGA was founded in November 19th 1998 by Japanese primatologists in collaboration with Western colleagues such as Jane Goodall and Jan van Hooff in an effort to support our evolutionary neighbors, the great apes. SAGA is a spiritual descendant of CCCC (Committee for Conservation and Care of Chimpanzees) formed in Chicago in November, 1986. CCCC was organized by researchers to save the chimpanzees. SAGA extended CCCC's idea by including all of the great apes as targets and by expanding to include support not only from researchers but also zoo persons, media persons, and the general public with an interest in the continued existence of the great apes. SAGA is a non-governmental, non-profit, and non-membership consortium that aims to facilitate the conservation of the great apes and their natural habitats, to promote animal welfare in captive populations, and to put an end to invasive research. Human activity in the recent past has forced all great ape species to the brink of extinction in the wild. In captivity, individuals are subjected to experiments at biomedical and other research facilities, often involving invasive treatments, in studies of, for example, viral diseases and gene therapy. The numbers of great apes in invasive experiments of this kind are likely to increase unless we attempt to and succeed in finding an acceptable solution to improve the situation under which our closest relatives must exist in captivity as well as in the wild.
What should be done?
We must, therefore, further stress how small the distances are
that separate chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans
from humans. We must also bear in mind that all the great ape
species are listed as "endangered" in CITES: their
numbers in the wild are decreasing. In addition, captive populations
often suffer from inadequate management. Individuals survive
40 to 50 years, in some cases even longer. These characteristics
are not congruent with the standards for so-called experimental
animals. We believe that there need to be serious constraints
on the use of great apes in invasive studies. We therefore propose
the following agenda to promote our scientific understanding
of all great apes.
First, we shall undertake action for the conservation of the
great apes and their natural habitat.
Second, we shall endeavor to enhance the quality of life of the
great apes in captivity.
Third, we shall not use the great apes as subjects in invasive
studies, but promote our scientific understanding through non-invasive
techniques.
For our purposes, the word non-invasive refers to treatment that
causes irreversible deficits of normal function. In short, illegal
or non-ethical treatment prohibited in the case of human subjects
is to be likewise prohibited in the great apes.
Our hopes and perspectives:
Based on this agenda, we hope to halt current
trends of habitat destruction in the wild and the invasive use
of great apes in captivity worldwide. Researchers from various
disciplines, zoo persons, media persons, and the general public
with a concern for our evolutionary neighbors, need to work together
to support wildlife conservation programs and to develop suitable
conditions for the life of the great apes in captivity.
We hope that you will demonstrate your approval and support for
our attempt toward a better life for the great apes in the 21st
century. The great apes can form a good bridge between human
beings and the rest of the natural world. They clearly allow
us to appreciate that the "humans vs. animals" dichotomy
is no longer valid. We share the earth. The great apes are our
evolutionary neighbors and are symbolic of the symbiosis of all
living creatures, the biodiversity on the planet, and the importance
of ecosystems.
(Original version, November 19, 1998, updateed in September 23, 2006)