Endangered apes around the world have been thrown a lifeline.
Gorillas, chimpanzees and orang-utans are among some of the most threatened animals and could even face extinction if something is not done to help them.
A baby chimp
But the British government stepped in with £175,000 of funding to help the creatures.
'Could be extinct in 5-10 years'
The cash will be used to help gorillas in places like Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, and an ape project in Cameroon.
Fact File
Apes
Chimps are our closest living relatives
Some people have argued that chimps have souls
There are about six billion humans in the world, but only 100,000 gorillas
All apes are at risk from poachers who kill them for meat and souvenirs
The government hopes other countries will now come forward with money to help the Great Ape Survival Project - organised by the United Nations.
A government spokesman said: "Great apes are the closest species to man. However they are now near to extinction in many areas.
"Some experts predict that within five to 10 years these wonderful animals will be extinct."
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