🔅 The Silverback Who Was Hollywood Royalty
The West's Wellness Craze Threatens Frankincense Trees in Ethiopia
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Karera Waterfalls, Burundi
Spotlight Stories
The Untold Story of Titus, the Silverback Who Starred in a Hollywood Blockbuster
Introducing Titus, the larger-than-life gorilla who rose from humble beginnings to become the undisputed "King" of his tribe. This mighty silverback, who once tipped the scales at an impressive 32 stone, not only ruled over his fellow primates but also graced the silver screen alongside Hollywood royalty.
Titus made his acting debut at a young age in the film "Gorillas in the Mist," starring alongside the legendary Sigourney Weaver. The movie, which chronicled the life of gorilla conservationist Dian Fossey, catapulted Titus into the spotlight and set the stage for his rise to fame.
But Titus' life was not all glitz and glamour: Orphaned at the tender age of four, he had to fight his way to the top. Under the tutelage of the ape gang's leader, Beetsme, Titus bided his time as a loyal subordinate, waiting for his moment to shine.
And shine he did. At the age of 17, Titus staged a bloodless coup and dethroned Beetsme, claiming the title of "King" for himself. Over the next 15 years, Titus commanded the largest known gorilla troop in the world.
But as the saying goes, heavy is the head that wears the crown, and in 2009 tragedy struck.
Titus, now 35 and weakened by age, was challenged by his 17-year-old son, Rano. The young usurper's threat forced the once-mighty king to flee on foot. After weeks of stress and exhaustion, Titus was found dead in his nest by field trackers.
But Titus' legacy lives on. His extraordinary life story was immortalized in the BBC documentary "The Gorilla King," which chronicled his rise to power in Rwanda's Virunga Mountains.
REST IN POWER, TITUS.
Africa's Life Expectancy Glow-Up, Courtesy of HIV Progress
It's official: Sub-Saharan Africa is aging like a fine banana wine, thanks to some major strides in the fight against HIV/AIDS. A new UN report reveals that average life expectancy in the region jumped from a sprightly 56 years in 2010 to a distinguished 61 years in 2023. Who says 60 is the new 40?
The secret behind this fountain of youth? Ramped up HIV treatment. In 2023, around 31 million people worldwide were on antiretroviral therapy, slashing AIDS deaths to their lowest level since the peak in 2004.
That's what we call a glow-up.
Nine countries, including seven in Africa, have even achieved the UN's ambitious 95-95-95 treatment goals, which aim to diagnose 95 per cent of all HIV-positive cases, provide antiretroviral therapy (ART) for 95 per cent of those diagnosed, and achieve viral suppression for 95 per cent of those treated. It's like getting a triple A on your HIV report card.
Kudos to the overachievers: Saudi Arabia, Botswana, Denmark, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
But it's not all rainbows and unicorns. Despite the progress, Sub-Saharan Africa still accounts for a hefty chunk of global HIV cases and deaths. And funding for HIV programs has taken a nosedive in recent years, leaving vulnerable groups like women and children in a lurch.
The real MVPs in this fight? Integrated HIV and TB treatment, which prevented an impressive 6.4 million deaths between 2010-2022. And innovations like the dapivirine vaginal ring are giving women a much-needed boost in HIV prevention.
So while there's still work to be done, let's raise a glass to Africa's HIV success story. Here's to more birthdays, and more grandparents!
Wellness Craze Threatens Frankincense Trees in Ethiopia
Frankincense, the ancient fragrance that's been used for religious rites since time immemorial, has found a new market: the trillion-dollar wellness industry. From "age-defying" serums to "hydrating and rejuvenating" creams, frankincense is now the star ingredient in a range of luxury products.
But as rich Westerners fuel demand for this aromatic resin, the frankincense trees in the Horn of Africa are paying the price.
In the upscale shops of London's Covent Garden, a 50g bottle of frankincense firming cream can cost upwards of £80. A luxury French brand sells "virile" perfumes infused with frankincense for hundreds of pounds a bottle. An American aromatherapy company hails frankincense as the "king of essential oils" and sells 15ml bottles for $115.
Meanwhile, in the rocky hillsides of northern Ethiopia, frankincense trees are being pushed to the brink of extinction by overexploitation, drought, and conflict.
Moonlight Thieves and Broken Supply Chains
In the village of Tseykeme, 78-year-old farmer Demstu Gebremichael says thieves target his frankincense trees most nights, scraping away the valuable white sap oozing from cuts in the bark.
The frankincense supply chain is murky and fragmented, often marked by exploitation and violence. It's nearly impossible to trace the resin sold in New York and London back to the people who harvest it, often in extreme poverty.
As more people extract the resin from a shrinking number of trees, researchers warn that the future of the species is under threat. A 2011 study predicted that 90% of the main frankincense tree variety could disappear by 2060.
"Old frankincense trees are dying fast," researchers say, with too few young saplings to replace them. It's a vicious cycle: fewer trees means existing ones are tapped more and more intensively.
The Disconnect Between Consumers and Harvesters
Stephen Johnson, director of FairSource Botanicals, sums up the problem: "There is a massive disconnect between consumers and western companies on one hand, and what actually happens on the ground."
A wellness company in New York might make $200 a kilo, compared with $2 a kilo paid to harvesters.
As Anjanette DeCarlo, founder of the Save Frankincense project, puts it: "The smallholders protecting these trees are completely passed over. There's no support, no training, no investment … It's just crazy."
Food for Thought
“What the family talks about in the evening, the child says in the morning.”
— Oromo Proverb, Ethiopia