Threats to Primates Are Escalating

By Cat Lazaroff

WASHINGTON, DC, October 8, 2002 (ENS) - One in every three of the world's apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates are now threatened with extinction, warns a new report by international conservation groups. The report notes that primate species and subspecies classified as endangered or critically endangered has jumped by almost 63 percent - from 120 to 195 - since the last version of the report was issued in January 2000.

The roloway guenon is one of the three most highly endangered monkeys of the Upper Guinea forest block, and is targeted by the bushmeat trade. (Photo by Lindsay Magnuson/Humboldt State University)

Asia now accounts for almost 45 percent of the world's most endangered primates, the report shows, with 11 listed in the top 25, including six that are new additions. Africa has eight primates on the list, the Neotropics hosts three endangered primates, and Madagascar is home to the final three primates represented on the list.

"The latest information made available at the International Primatological Society Congress in Beijing highlighted the fact that Asia has now become the world leader in endangered primates," said Conservation International president Russ Mittermeier.

The buff-headed capuchin is the most endangered of the capuchin monkeys, restricted to southern Bahia, Brazil and threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction, hunting and live capture for pets. (Photo by Russell A. Mittermeier, © Conservation International)

Twenty-three of the 25 primates are found in the world's biodiversity hotspots: 25 regions identified by Conservation International which cover just 1.4 percent of Earth's land surface but harbor more than 60 percent of all terrestrial plant and animal diversity.

According to the report, 48 of the 55 critically endangered primates - 87 percent - and 124 of the 140 endangered primates - 89 percent - are found only in the biodiversity hotspots. Six of the hotspots are considered the highest priorities for the survival of the world's most endangered primates, including Indo-Burma, Madagascar, Sundaland, the Guinean Forests of West Africa, the Atlantic Forests of Brazil, and the Western Ghats/Sri Lanka.

The Natuna banded leaf monkey is found only on Indonesia's Natuna Islands where no protected forest areas exist. (Photo © Suroso/CBCS-UI)

Habitat loss due to the clearing of tropical forests for agriculture, timber extraction and the collection of fuel wood continues to be the major factor in the declining number of primates according to the report. However, hunting has been an insidious and major threat, especially in Africa and Asia.

While hunting was once done mainly for subsistence purposes, it has now taken on a major commercial dimension. Live capture for the pet trade and export for biomedical research have become lesser concerns in recent decades, but still pose a threat to some species.

Considered a crop pest as recently as the 1950's, the white-naped mangabey is now very rare, with hunting the greatest threat to its survival. (Photo by Russell A. Mittermeier, © Conservation International)

The loss of nonhuman primates is directly linked to the global extinction crisis, the report's authors warn.

"These 25 are facing a very serious risk of extinction due to the ongoing and rapid loss of their forests and, especially in Asia and Africa, their widespread and devastating exploitation for food and body parts, bizarre decoration, and charms or potions," noted Anthony Rylands of the species program at Conservation International's Center for Applied Biodiversity Science (CABS). "The key factor is that all of the species listed as 'critically endangered' and 'endangered' are declining dramatically and require urgent measures for their protection."

The Tana River mangabey is found only in a 37 mile stretch of forest on both sides of the lower Tana River in Kenya. (Photo by Julie Wieczkowski/University of Georgia)

The top 25 most endangered primates, sorted by the regions where they are found, are:

Brazil
• Black-faced lion tamarin
• Buff-headed capuchin
• Northern muriqui

  

  The Yunan snub-nosed monkey lives in the mountains of south central China. (Photo © John Mittermeier)

  China
• White-headed langur
• Yunnan snub-nosed monkey
• Guizhou snub-nosed monkey

  China and Vietnam

• Eastern black crested gibbon

  Côte d'Ivoire

• Miss Waldron's red colobus (possibly already extinct)

  Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana

• Roloway guenon
• White-naped mangabey

  Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda

• Mountain gorilla

  Indonesia

• Natuna banded leaf monkey
• Pig-tailed snub-nosed monkey or Simakobu
• Sumatran orangutan

  Kenya

• Tana River mangabey
• Tana River red colobus

  

  The greater bamboo lemur lives in the vanishing forests of Madagascar. (Photo by Ken Glander/Duke University)

  Madagascar
• Greater bamboo lemur
• Perrier's sifaka
• Silky sifaka

  Nigeria and Cameroon

• Cross River gorilla

  Tanzania

• Sanje mangabey

  

  The newly discovered gray-shanked douc exists only in Vietnam, and was not described until 1997. It is threatened by hunting and habitat destruction. (Photo © Tilo Nadler)

  Vietnam
• Delacour's langur
• Golden-headed langur
• Gray-shanked douc
• Tonkin snub-nosed monkey

To read the full report, click here.