United Nations Radio

Prince Albert II of Monaco today launched the Year of the Gorilla 2009 to focus on efforts to conserve the primates and their habitat.

The prince was speaking at the opening of a United Nations wildlife conference taking place in Rome.

The Year of the Gorilla will promote projects boost livelihoods and incomes of local people in order to prevent the cutting down of trees and killing of gorillas.

UNEP spokesman Nick Nuttall says the UN environment agency would like to see serious support from governments and the private sector.

"To conserve the gorilla and therefore also to conserve their habitat is going to require millions and millions of dollars. And if the Year of the Gorilla can generate some serious money that can be put into these projects for people's livelihoods, for boosting income, giving people alternatives to reducing the habitat and in some cases poaching the gorillas, this would be a really good start."

Nick Nuttall says the problem of cutting down trees and killing gorillas has been going for decades and there is need to turn it around.

United Nations Radio, Dianne Penn

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