Nearly Half Of 634 Primate Species Face Extinction - Bushmeat, Illegal Trade, Deforestation

[hatrack]

LONDON, UK, February 18, 2010 (ENS) - Nearly half the world's 634 primate species - gorillas, orangutans, monkeys, lemurs, gibbons and other primates - now are in danger of becoming extinct due to the destruction of tropical forests, illegal wildlife trade and commercial bushmeat hunting.

A report listing the 25 most endangered primates was launched at Bristol Zoo Gardens today, showing that five primate species from Madagascar, six from Africa, 11 from Asia, and three from Central and South America are all in need of the most urgent conservation action.

The report, "Primates in Peril: The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates, 2008-2010" has been compiled by the Primate Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, IUCN, Species Survival Commission, SSC, and the International Primatological Society, in collaboration with the nonprofit Conservation International.

"The results from the most recent IUCN assessment of the world's mammals indicate that the primates are among the most endangered vertebrate groups," said co-editor 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," Dr. Mittermeier said. "We have the resources to address this crisis, but so far, we have failed to act."

EDIT

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2010/2010-02-18-01.html

[GliderGuider]

1. There are days when I wish that half included us.

And there are days I don't.

[Dead_Parrot]

3. I can grok that

Although, we're practically the only species guaranteed not to go extinct.

Sigh. Clever, clever monkeys...

[OKIsItJustMe]

5. I think there are species who are less likely to go extinct than our own

Most notably, single cell organisms. They're amazing survivors.

[XemaSab]

7. Word

n/t

[Nihil]

13. True ...

... and I bet that there would be plenty of species (primate or otherwise)
that would be in full agreement with you ... about the only dissenters
would be the rats, cockroaches and crows ...

:-(

[pleah]

2. K&R Very sad. n/t

[dgibby]

4. I used to work at a Primate Sanctuary.

I took care of a baby gibbon who had been injured and abandoned by her mother. Best job I ever had!

Although the local sanctuary is small, the organization itself is international in scope, raising funds for other sanctuaries all over the globe, fighting the bush meat trade, poachers, illegal traffickers, etc. It's a dangerous business, and the lady who runs it was threatened on more than one occasion.

[tom_paine]

6. The Sixth Great Extinction has only just begun

(sadly)

[OKIsItJustMe]

8. I've been told that it's just a myth

:eyes:

[tom_paine]

9. Of course it's a myth, didn't it snow outside just the other day?

Wait...eh.. which myth was I talking about again?

[OKIsItJustMe]

10. It really doesn't matter, disprove one myth, disprove them all

The fact that Lake Erie froze over proves (quite conclusively) that scientists are all lying to us, so if a scientist tells us that a "sixth extinction" is underway, it's just a lie.

[NickB79]

12. Don't forget thalidomide!

Scientists told us that was safe, so that disproves the myth of science altogether!

[stuntcat]

11. sick

k & r :puke: :puke: :puke: :evilfrown: