The Plight Of Eastern Gorillas And 9000 "Conservationists" In Hawaiian Paradise

                                     According to the news today, there is a world conservation congress taking place in Honolulu, with over 9000 delegates attending from over 180 countries. This is an opportunity for conservation organizations to do what they do best, attend meetings, lament the sad state of affairs for many species (their attempt to elicit sympathy and more contributions), and exaggerate (to put it mildly) their accomplishments. They especially like to highlight species that draw maximum attention and sympathy, such as pandas, and in the case of this conference, eastern gorillas. Not because they can or will do anything productive to help, but because they know that if they give the appearance of concern, that is enough to keep them in business. And what a business conservation can be.
                                      In one of the news articles regarding this big conference, a senior official from one of the conservation organizations related that there must be a much greater investment on the ground if the eastern lowland gorilla is to survive. A much greater investment on the ground when? Already the eastern lowland gorilla has been decimated by habitat loss and hunting, and all the while its numbers have dramatically declined, why was there no investment on the ground? Everyone involved in the conservation of Congo region species and great apes knew this decimation has been going on for years.
                                         While the great ape species have been crashing, along with thousands of other species (some of which are of little or no interest to anyone, unfortunately) the fortunes of  a number of conservation groups associated with great apes and other wildlife have grown exponentially.  Furthermore, being associated with the right species, such as with chimpanzees, has turned a lucky few into superstars, with cult like followings. Sadly, few if any are willing to look critically at what these people and their organizations actually accomplish. Conservation organization failures are never revealed, and their alleged successes are never scrutinized. People, instead of facing hard truths, would rather be lulled into thinking their money in combination with these organizations saves certain species and improves the world.
                                             Conservation must move out of the hands of self serving conservation organizations, and into the hands of responsible governments that have the resources and ability to actually accomplish conservation. This is discussed at length in another blog. In the third world, including in places like the Congo, conservation groups have been enormously ineffective and rarely, if ever, held accountable.
                                                Back to the worldwide conservation congress or conference in Honolulu, one of the world's most expensive cities.... millions of dollars for expensive air travel, expensive hotels, expensive food in expensive restaurants (food in Hawaii is expensive), expensive rentals of conference halls and meeting places, expensive entertainment. Donors are probably unaware that even if their money does not help the eastern lowland gorilla or other species, at least there is a great trip to Hawaii for those poor suffering conservationists.
                                                  Shielded by eastern gorillas (and some other species), hiding behind their plight, 9000 or so "conservationists" are living large in one of the world's' most sought after vacation destinations.