Spotlight on Students: Primate Conservation

The following is a guest post featuring the work of students enrolled in my Anth 102 courses.  These students are highlighting the importance of primate conservation and featuring specific primates that are currently endangered.  I hope you find these pieces informative and are inspired to make a positive change in the world that will help these and other endangered primates.

Female orangutan & her baby.  Copyright Anup Shah (Image Source: WWF Website)

By: Sarah Howard

Orangutans are peaceful, intelligent, and beautiful primates. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, some of the species, including the Orangutans in Borneo (Pongo pygmaeus), are currently on the endangered list (ICUN). Also on IUCN’s list are the Orangutans in Sumatra (Pongo abelii) who are currently listed as critically endangered. In this essay, I will tell you some interesting facts about Orangutans and why they are endangered. I will also describe ways to help prevent the Orangutans extinction and why it is so important to do so with Orangutans, as well as all primate species in general.

Orangutans are big, red, and hairy great apes. That is not all there is to them, though.

National Geographic reports that Orangutans can be found in Borneo and Sumatra, which are two islands in Indonesia. In Malay, the language of the region, Orangutan means “person of the forest”(National Geographic). This is very appropriate because the Orangutan lives in the tropical rainforest. Orangutans are arboreal, meaning that they shelter and spend about 90% of their time in trees (National Geographic).  This lifestyle supports the Orangutan diet, which consists of fruit, leaves, bark, and insects.

Female Orangutans begin to reproduce offspring around the age of 15 years old (orangutan.org, biology). Typical gestational periods last for eight and a half months, very similar to that of the Homo sapiens, which is about ten months (40 weeks).  Unlike humans, infant Orangutans only stay with their mothers until around the age of six or seven (National Geographic).

Orangutans are solitary animals (orangutan.org). The male Orangutans are more solitary than the females. Orangutans are also very cognitive. They have been known to make tools. These tools include using branches to scratch themselves, using leaves as shelter, and even using leaves as gloves to better handle spiny fruits.

There are many reasons why the Orangutan species is endangered. Some of the reasons spawn from human development. Illegal logging is one of the dangers to Orangutans (orangutan.org). This leads to the destruction of the Orangutans’ home in the tropical rainforest. Illegal logging in this area is driven by the demand for palm oil and timber (orangutan.org). In addition to the destruction due to logging, there is also additional damage that stems from mining and urban development.  This includes clearings for settlements and roads. Sadly, the habitat is not the only area of destruction that impacts Orangutans. Orangutans themselves are the victims of violence as they are often targeted in illegal animal trade or are hunted and eaten (orangutan.org). According to the World Wildlife Foundation (World Wildlife Foundation), there are only about 41,000 of the Bornean Orangutans left with only about 7,500 Sumatran Orangutans still in existence.

There are many ways that Orangutans can be saved from extinction. Several organizations are dedicated to helping the Orangutans, including World Wildlife Foundation, Greenpeace, Orang Utan Republik Foundation, and many more. These organizations support saving Orangutans from becoming extinct by doing several things, including working toward preventing illegal animal trade, educating locals about Orangutans, helping to make laws protecting the species, and helping rehabilitate orphaned Orangutans.  In addition, anyone can help support the cause by engaging in a few simple acts, including using social media to spread awareness, purchasing products that are certified sustainable, and by buying FSC-certified forest products (wwf.panda.org). These small acts will help Orangutans and are easy to do.

We need to help save the Orangutans from becoming extinct. Greenpeace.org says that Orangutans are important to the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo because Orangutans disperse seeds throughout the rainforest (greenpeace.org). They play a significant role in the keeping of the rainforest’s plants alive, as well as having an effect on the health of other species. Orangutans are also important for studying human behavior because of how intelligent and cognitive they are (orangutanrepublik.org). Orangutans have also been known to be able to learn sign language (orangutanrepublik.org). This is an excellent way to study how humans may have learned to communicate with each other.

Just like Orangutans, all primates need to be kept from extinction. Primates are our cousins and share a common ancestor with us. For this reason, they are great for studying how we may have evolved. They all play important roles in ecosystems, as well. If humans keep wiping out primate species, then we will lose more links to our past. We need to help our primates by making people aware and by helping in any other ways that we can. We can share the knowledge of ways to donate and ways to improve our environment, so that primates can have their habitats back, undisturbed. I know that if we as humans put our minds to it, we can get some of these primates off of the endangered list.

Works Cited:

Ancrenaz, M., Marshall, A., Goossens, B., van Schaik, C., Sugardjito, J., Gumal, M. & Wich, S. 2008. Pongo pygmaeus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Web. 5 March 2015 <www.iucnredlist.org>

Singleton, I., Wich, S.A. & Griffiths, M. 2008. Pongo abelii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Web. 5 March 2015. <www.iucnredlist.org>

“Orangutan Pongo pygmaeus.” National Geographic. n.p. n.d. Web. 5 March 2015. <www.animals.nationalgeographic.com>

“Orangutan Biology.” Orangutan Foundation International. n.p. n.d. Web. 5 March 2015. <www.orangutan.org>

“Orangutan Behavior.” Orangutan Foundation International. n.p. n.d. Web. 5 March 2015. <www.orangutan.org>

“Orangutan Conservation.”Orangutan Foundation International. n.p. n.d. Web. 5 March 2015. <www.orangutan.org>

“Orangutan Overview.” World Wildlife Foundation n.p. n.d. Web. 5 March 2015. <www.worldwildlife.org>

“Orangutans.”. World Wildlife Foundation n.p. n.d. Web. 5 March 2015. <www.wwf.panda.org>

“Orangutans Under Threat.”. Greenpeace USA. n.p. 27 April 2005. Web. 5 March 2015 <www.greepeace.org>

“Why Save Orangutans?.” Orang Utan Republik. n.p. n.d. Web. 5 March 2015 < www.oragutanrepublik.org >

“Language and Sign Learning.” Urang Utan Republik. n.p. n.d. Web. 5 March 2015               

<  www.orangutanrepublik.org >


By: Thomas Celestre

            Many of the world’s primates are in danger of extinction. According to the website www.seethewild.org “Almost half of all primate species around the globe are threatened with extinction as a result of human activity.” One of the most endangered of these primate species is the Sumatran orangutan. Nationalgeographic.com lists the Sumatran orangutan as the number one most endangered primate species, and also estimates they are down to only 7,000 orangutans left in the wild on the island of Sumatra. While this species is critically endangered due to human activity, there are others fighting to conserve and protect these unique primates before they are wiped off our planet completely.

            Orangutans are found in the wild in Southeast Asia, in areas such as Indonesia and Malaysia. According the website www.orangutan.com, of the 4 types of great apes the orangutan is the only one that is indigenous to the continent of Asia, the other three types, the bonobo, chimpanzee, and gorilla, all being indigenous to Africa. Orangutans are more arboreal than most apes. They are very good at living high up in trees and do not need to come to the ground very often. They can sustain all of their basic needs in the trees. Orangutans get food that grows off tree branches, and with the constant rains in the rainforest they can drink water from the leaves. They will also build themselves a nest out of leaves and branches so they can sleep above ground, as well. Orangutans have feet that are more similar to human hands with toes that can reach and grab things like fingers, which makes it easier for them to climb and swing between branches and trees (orangutan.com). Another valuable characteristic for orangutans to spend so much time in trees is their arm length. An orangutan male can have an arm length up to 7 feet long, when his body will only stand about 5 feet tall (nationalgeographic.com).

            Orangutans are mostly solitary creatures, except for when mating and raising young, but according to orangutans.com they have the longest childhood dependence on the mother than any other animal in the world. Orangutan babies will nurse until they are about six years old. When an orangutan baby is past its nursing stage, a young male may stay near the mother for a couple more years, but females have been known to stay with their mother into their teenage years and learn mothering skills while watching their mother take care of their younger sibling. Orangutan females can only have a baby about once every eight years, and some orangutans can live up to 40 years in the wild (orangutan.com).

            According to orangutan.com, orangutans in the wild have lost up to 80% of their habitat in the last 20 years, and their experts predict that the species could be extinct in less than 25 years from now. The main factors the website lists contributing to their endangerment is deforestation logging, development of palm oil plantations, as well as illegal poaching and pet trading. In Indonesia, the population of people has grown dramatically in the past years, and with the expansion of people they are destroying more and more habitat that the orangutans live in. With their environments so close together, orangutans are often killed by people that are hungry, or just see them as pests on their property. The development of palm oil plantations may be the biggest factor. Palm oil is used in almost 50% of consumer products, and with large profit to be made, palm oil plantations are being developed deeper and deeper into the rainforests and destroying habitat and climate for the orangutans. With all of these contributing factors, the orangutan populations in the wild are declining quickly (orangutan.com).

            There are many organizations dedicated to stopping the extinction of this species. Orangutan.com has information ranging from the causes of orangutan extinction to ways to contribute to stopping it. The site lists items that you can avoid buying that use palm oil in an effort to slow down the demand for the product. The site also lists other options to help, such as making donations, virtual adoption, and volunteering in conservation projects. The Orangutan Conservancy (OC) has a list on orangutan.com of five conservation projects set for 2015, that include all the options on volunteering and donating. There are other conservation organizations, such as the Orangutan Outreach and the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), that fight for the same cause (redapes.org).

            There are many reasons to save the orangutan from extinction. According to the website http://engage.aza.org even though humans are closer in DNA relation to chimpanzees, humans and orangutans share more common characteristics, such as similar teeth. The site goes on to mention that studies have shown differences in culture of orangutans in different areas, that they show learned traits, and says we can learn about development of human culture through this species. The site also mentions that Orangutans with their wide area of habitat, spread seeds throughout the rainforest that help other plants and animals thrive, and lists orangutans as a key element to saving the rainforest (engage.aza.org). It is for some of these same reasons it is important to protect all primates from extinction. There are many things we can learn about every primate species. The extinction of one species can have major effects on an environment, and can have a chain effect on other animals that may depend on that animal as a food source or for something else (engage.aza.org).

            The orangutan is a very unique primate. Its physical appearance, nature, and environment make it different from other apes, and the most arboreal ape on earth. But it is also the most endangered on earth. Poaching and deforestation are major factors in the dwindling numbers of its population. The site engage.aza.org refers to the orangutan as an “umbrella species” meaning they are critical to other animals in the rainforests survival. With conservation programs designed to help fight the extinction of this animal, hopefully enough can be done before the most unique of the great apes is gone for good.

Works Cited

http://www.seethewild.org/primate-threats/

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/orangutan/

http://www.orangutan.com/

http://engage.aza.org/orangutans/

http://redapes.org/

 

 

Tarsier

By: Jacqueline Hernandez

            Over the past decade there has been a decrease in many primate populations. This is not surprising news to us because endangered species have been an issue for a long time. Some researchers are led to believe the human race has been large cause of declining population in many primates, while others believe disease and fatalities could be the problem. In 2010 National Geographic posted an article on endangered primates, and Tarsiers made it on their top 25 list (National Geographic). Tarsiers are small, fragile, and overall very interesting primates to research. This essay will cover their natural habitats, the reason behind their endangerment, and how and why it is so important to keep these fascinating creatures on our planet.

            At some point Tarsiers were known to be found in a variety of places across the globe, but now they live in the tropical islands and coast of Southeast Asia. The three common locations for Tarsiers are the Philippines, Western Sumatra, and Sulawesi (Endangered Species International).  They are known as arboreal primates, meaning they live within the trees of the forests.  Tarsiers share similar characteristics, such as hairy bodies, long skinny tails, point bat-like ears, long fingers, and large wide eyes. With eyes as large as their brain and a head that can turn almost 360° Tarsiers can see just about anything in the dark. Their hands and feet have sticky fingers that are used for climbing and catching prey for meal times; their fingers are vital to their survival (Endangered Species International).  The social behavior of Tarsiers depends on the location it is living in; Western Tarsiers are less social and Eastern Tarsiers are known as the most social. Tarsiers are very territorial when it comes to their land, food, and sometimes even their mate. They patrol the area around their beds to keep others away, but in some cases they allow up to two mates in their home. Social interactions have also been known to increase or decrease depending on their food supply (Endangered Species International). Tarsiers communicate to defend their territory and as mating calls. A newborn will have furry bodies, wide open eyes, and can begin to climb on trees within an hour of their birth; they also use communication when they are in need of help from their mothers. Tarsiers climb through trees to catch their food, which is known to be insects, snakes, birds, and other small organisms found living within the trees (Endangered Species International). 

            The amount of endangered Tarsiers varies on the location of where they live. Some are more prone to living a non-healthy cruel life than others. Humans have played a critical role resulting in the endangerment of these primates. Hunters have caught and caged Tarsiers to sell in black markets. Tourists have unknowingly caused a great harm to them by holding and petting them; even the flash of picture can hurt their fragile eyes. Tarsiers can easily grow anxious and nervous when they are being handled poorly; in some incidents they bang their heads on some hard and kill themselves (National Geographic). For many Tarsiers living in certain parts of Asia their food and beds are being destroyed along with the rest of their habitats in the forest for agriculture. The agriculture that replaces their habitat is also causing great harm because of the pesticides that are being used for farming. Tarsiers that live closest to agricultures are found with body sores, underweight, and sicknesses (Endangered Species International).

            The Philippine government has passed laws to keep people from capturing and selling Tarsiers and to stop their habitat destruction. These laws are not being respected by many citizens and the government should do more to enforce them (Endangered Species International).  A number of volunteers are doing their part in saving these primates by planting more native trees. People can help save Tarsiers by helping to support organizations that are trying to keep their habitat intact, and by simply educating others on this issue through school projects or social media. Tourists can help save these creatures by not buying them as pets and not taking them out of their habitats to take pictures and hold them. Saving Tarsiers is very important because they deserve to live long happy lives without having to be bothered or killed off by humans. They are nature’s creatures that play a vital role in our ecosystem just like any other living organism and since they have been known to be living on this earth for around 45 million years we should learn to respect our elders (Capitanio).

            Saving primates could mean saving human lives because of how we study them. Primates have similarities to humans and can help with curing many diseases and help create a better understanding of overall human health. Primates have also helped us learn about our history and we evolved. Although the importance of studying all kinds or primates has been proven to be a positive subject, there is no doubt that we could be harming these organisms while they are in captivity (Capitanio). Many scientists wish to further study Tarsiers in their natural habitats to learn more on how we can help save them, but scientists are trying to be very careful in how they go about this. Tarsiers are very susceptible primates and can cause a great deal of harm to their bodies when they are put under too much stress (Endangered Species International). Nature is beautiful in its many aspects and it is our natural instinct to feel the need to explore and investigate but we must remember that nature is also very delicate and some things are better left untouched and unharmed.  

           

Work Cited

"25 Most Endangered Primates Named." National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 28 Oct. 2010. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.

"Tarsier." Endangered Species International. Endangered Species International, Web. 15 Mar. 2015.

Capitanio, John P., PHD. "ASP - 1) Why Are Nonhuman Primates Studied, and What Kinds of Research Are Conducted?" American Society of Primatologists, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.