Question

african great apes
great apes in africa are in severe danger of facing habitat destruction, being poached for bushmeat, and being forced to supply the demand for pets and zoo attractions. this problem is alarming because for every kidnapped baby chimp, six to seven adults are killed. in the process of illegal transport, out of one baby that makes it to the buyer, five to ten babies die from being injured, sick, or mistreated. to make the matters worse, authorities in charge of protecting the great apes
○ have concocted strict plans to catch the traffickers.
○ are mostly unaware of the severity of the problem.
○ largely ignore problems that origin in poor countries.
○ are confused about which animal needs most protection.

Explanation:

The text emphasizes the severe danger African great - apes face from habitat destruction, poaching, etc. It then says "to make matters worse", implying that the authorities have not been effective. Option A would not make matters worse. Option C is not mentioned in the text. Option D is also not mentioned. Option B, that authorities are mostly unaware of the severity of the problem, would make the situation worse for the great apes.

Answer:

B. are mostly unaware of the severity of the problem.