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Paris (dpa) - British-born primatologist Jane Goodall is to receive UNESCO's 60th Anniversary Medal for her work toward preserving Africa's endangered great apes, UNESCO said Tuesday.
"Ms. Goodall's untiring work to preserve the great apes of Africa in their natural environment fits perfectly with UNESCO's work in favour of the environment and of sustainable development," UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura said in a press statement.
Recognized as the world's foremost authority on chimpanzees, the 71-year-old Goodall has been working with primates in Africa since 1960.
According to UNESCO, only 400,000 great apes survive today, compared to 2 million 50 years ago, with experts predicting their extinction within three to five decades unless current trends are reversed.
UNESCO's 60th Anniversary Medal was struck this year to commemorate the organization's anniversary.
Copyright 2006 dpa Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH
