Despite our shared lineage, humans are pushing chimpanzees toward extinction. Chimps have already disappeared completely from four countries and are under tremendous pressure everywhere else they live. Poaching has become commercialised and chimpanzees are hunted for bushmeat whilst infant chimpanzees are captured and sold as pets. Diseases such as Ebola have also killed tens of thousands of chimps.
The public art exhibition Chimps are Family, unveiling on Endangered Species Day (Friday the 20th of May) at Tower Bridge, sets to create awareness around the plight of the endangered apes. All proceeds will go to towards the World Wildlife Fund UK and their efforts in chimpanzee protection.
Federated Hermes are proud to be supporting this event by sponsoring the ‘mother and baby’ statue. Each sculpture, created by Gillie and Marc is crafted in bronze and depicts the chimpanzee enacting a distinctly human behaviour.
For more information on chimpanzees and the work WWF do to support them visit their website.
