The World’s primate species in danger of extinction
IUCN - International Union for Conservation of Nature announced that the population of primates, which are mankind’s closest relatives are faced with a huge threat of extinction from the face of the Earth. Apes, monkeys and primates are disappearing at an alarming rate from the face of the earth. There are currently 634 species of primates living in the world and of these the International Union of Conservation of Nature and of these 50 percent are faced with extinction in regard to the criteria that is used to determine the Red List of species that are Threatened.
This was a chilling pronouncement on the state of primates which was released by the International Primatological Society during its twenty second congress held in Edinburgh. The major threat coming from the destruction of forests which are the habitats.
The destruction of the primates’ habitat such as the tropical rain forests majorly through clearing and burning which also negatively affects the atmosphere through the of greenhouse gases ( accounting for 20 percent ) possess the greatest threat these primates. This coupled with the need for bushmeat by the local hunting communities as well as the trafficking ot wildlife are causing great danger to the population of apes.
Jean Vie ChristopheI the deputy head of International Union of Conservationists Network species programme said that what is transpiring in southest Asia is horrifiing with over 90 percent of the primates species facing extinction especially in Cambodia and Vietnamn. Almost 70 percent of primates in Asia are classified as endangered, critical or vulnerable in the endangered list of species, implying they could face extinction soon.
Hunting for bushmeat as food and the trade in animals in Asia especially in China as pets and sources of medicine has only worsened the situation with the numbers of leaf monkeys, gibbons, golden monkeys, langurs and other species deminishing at a high rate.
In Africa for example, out of the 13 subspecies of red colobus monkeys, 11 subspecies are already enlisted as critically endangered whereas about 2 are presumed extinct. In other parts of the world, the situation is getting worse for primates with mountain gorillas, mouse lemurs are struggling to avoid extinction.
The president of conservation International, Russel Mittermeier A. said that they have solid data to prove that the situation is getting quite severe than they had previously imagined with reports that primates like Procolobus Badius waldroni that is Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus and the Procolobus pennantii bouvieri also known as Bouvier’s Red colobus monkey have not been seen for 20 and 25 years respectively.
The destruction of tropical rain forests and hunting for bushmeat are the major threat to the population of primates although in some parts where the habitats are still in good condition the hunting of primates for food has almost decimated entire colonies.
Mountain gorillas are classified into four different sub species and the mountain gorillas known as Gorilla beringi beringi which have been on the critically endangered list of species are being considered by researchers to be put on the list of as a result of their increased population, thanks to a great conservation effort by the international communities in conjunction with the local governments of Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo together with the local communities surrounding the habi.
However, in about March, 2007 a total of eight of these mountain gorillas were killed and unfortunately one of the rangers seemed to have a hand in this and was arrested. This coupled with a the prevailing rebel activities in the region has further setback the conservation efforts in the region.
The review which was financed by the Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundations, the International Union of Conservationists Network, Conservation International and Disney’s Animal Kingdom was part of the study of the world’s mammals.
To View Primates in Africa