Homo Sapiens may lose many members of its order (primates). In fact, according to a newly released report, Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, 2008-2010 by the International Union for the Conservation of Natural Resources (IUCN) nearly half (48%) of all primates are threatened by extinction. The report fingers the usual suspects: Environmental destruction, poaching, and loss of habitat. Primates (other than humans) are concentrated in the tropical regions of the world, which unfortunately are also the areas now most affected by destruction of rainforests and general loss of primate habitat. Add to that, particularly in Asia, the hunting of primates for food and medicinal purposes (almost all of it illegal) and the situation is becoming critical for some of the world’s most well known primates such as the orangutan of Indonesia, and the northern sportive lemur of Madagascar (less than 100 remaining individuals).

Reports like this are issued partly as documentation for research results, and partly for motivational purposes. By highlighting the 25 most endangered primates, it is hoped that personal, private, and governmental attention can be drawn long enough to get some changes made in laws, enforcement, and economic practices.

“The results from the most recent IUCN assessment of the world’s mammals indicate that primates are among the most endangered vertebrate groups,” says Dr Russell Mittermeier, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and President of Conservation International. “The purpose of our Top 25 list is to highlight those that are most at risk, to attract the attention of the public, to stimulate national governments to do more, and especially to find the resources to implement desperately-needed conservation measures. We want governments to commit to these measures when they gather in Japan in October. We have the resources to address this crisis, but so far, we have failed to act.”

[Source: IUCN Report]