Why It Matters: Exploring the Importance of Non-Human Primate Conservation

They appear to be cute, cuddly, and oh-so-adorable, but how much do you really know about non-human primates?  They exist on almost every continent around the globe, but despite their wide geographical distribution several nonhuman primate species are nearly extinct or are considered critically endangered.  The loss of these creatures will have negative impacts not just on the local environments where they exist but also on a global scale, which many people do not realize.  Today's blog post is dedicated to informing you, the reader, about the problems faced by nonhuman primates that are leading to their extinction, as well as how you can assist in curbing and potentially stopping this problem from continuing.

Endangered Nonhuman Primate: Tonkin Snub Nosed Monkey

Non-human primates exist across the globe and are primarily found in Africa, Asia, as well as Central and South America.  They exist in specialized ecological niches, ranging from Savannah to tropical rain forest environments (as well as several environments in between).  Each nonhuman primate species serves a very specific role in their environment, and the primary purposes include their roles as plant pollinators and seed dispersers.  In addition, they also provide a food source to natural predators existing in those environments.  Overall, nonhuman primates play a key function in their environment, and their loss will have detrimental impacts that will be felt throughout the ecosystem, which is part of the reason why we need to fight to keep them from becoming extinct.

Unfortunately, there are several different reasons for why non-human primates are being driven to extinction.  Reasons can be very species specific, such as is the case for the Aye-Aye who is killed due to superstitious notions of how they gesture being a curse that can only be broken by its death, but there are several exploitation factors that are common among all nonhuman primate species. These include:

• Environmental Degradation:  Legal and illegal mining, forestry, agriculture, etc. developments are depleting the natural environment that nonhuman primates live and exist in, which is limiting their ability to survival.  In addition, many humans who work in these industries will kill nonhuman primates as they are seen as pests who are getting in the way (e.g. nonhuman primates who seek food in agricultural fields or who seek refuge in a tree that is about to be cut down).  
• Bushmeat Trade:  Some local groups do rely on nonhuman primates for a food source, but in these cases the practice has been in effect for generations and sustainable hunting practices that do not overuse or over-hunt the nonhuman primates have been established.  The bushmeat trade, however, is different from these practices as it is the intentional and purposeful hunting (and typically over-hunting) of nonhuman primates in order to meet the desires of individuals willing to pay top dollar for exotic goods.  Related to this is poaching of these creatures for the purposes of acquiring trophies or furs that are illegal bought and sold.
• Medicinal Purposes: This matter is actually two fold: first, many nonhuman primates are illegally captured and exported for the purposes of medical testing of life saving drugs.  There are debates regarding how many primates are actually necessary for such testing purposes, and how effective some of the testing strategies are in regards to when in the process they are administered (i.e. too early when it is known that the tested animal will perish as a result of the test).  Second, there are individuals who believe that by consuming specific parts of the animal or having specific parts available to them that it can assist them medically (e.g. through increased virility, strength, etc.).  Although there are no scientific data to support these notions these folk medicine practices continue, leading to the illegal capture and deaths of many nonhuman primate species.
• Illegal Pet Trade: Many people find owning exotic animals attractive and elect to purchase wild animals as a result.  This puts many animals, particularly nonhuman primates, at risk of extinction because most often the animals that are sought as pets are young.  How does one remove a infant or child nonhuman primate from its mother?  By killing her, thereby orphaning the infant/child, and facilitating its quick capture and release into the custody of its new owner.  This leads to a lack of biological diversity in the nonhuman primate community, which is integral in the species overall survival, as well as a drastic decrease in the numbers of the species as the females, the producers of offspring that keep the species going, are killed off.

Endangered Nonhuman Primate: Slender Loris

It is important to keep nonhuman primate species alive, and several different efforts exist in order to stave off the extinction of several critically endangered and nearly extinct species.  But there are efforts that you, as a non-anthropologist, can participate in:

• Be aware of the problems and educate yourself on the issues.  Nonhuman primates may not exist in your area, but it does not mean that they are any less important in protecting and saving.  Once you understand the issues you can choose to be an advocate by informing others of what you have learned.  You can also elect to write local and international politicians and politically driven organizations about the importance of nonhuman primate conservation issues.  Related to this you can also purposefully vote for politicians who are passionate and well informed on conservation and environmental issues.  
• You can also make monetary contributions to any of the several reputable organizations that are working on solving these problems.  If you are either uncomfortable with or unable to give money to an organization you can find out other ways of supporting them by inquiring with them.
• You can also limit the consumption of goods that are endangering the environments of nonhuman primates.  Ethically and sustainably obtained products, such as palm oil, exist, and you should seek them out over other products that cannot make that claim or back it up with evidence.
• Do not purchase wild animals.  Wild animals are just that-wild!  They may look cute and docile when they are young, but they are most likely going to grow up and act on their instincts, which often ends with tragedy for either the owner, the animal, or both.  Various news agencies have publicized such incidents in recently years, such as the case of the woman who was mauled by her pet chimpanzee.  Also, several species cannot be successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild once they are held in captivity, so the argument that one is saving the creatures by keeping them as pets is null and void.  Furthermore, it is illegal to keep any endangered animal as a pet.
• Do not take photos with captive animals at substandard zoos, carnivals, etc. be it domestically or internationally.  You are inadvertently assisting in the illegal pet trade, and many of these animals are treated poorly by their handlers, meaning you are also assisting in abuses against the animals.
• Do not eat bushmeat.  The old adage "I'll try anything once" need not apply here because even if you are only tasting you have to consider how the meat was acquired-by killing an entire animal.

While they may not be local or a popular cause saving nonhuman primates from extinction important cause, and one that you can easily assist in.  Consider what you can do-be it small or large.  Any effort is worthwhile for this cause.

Learn more about endangered primates here, here, here, and here.

References

Actman, J.  2016.  "Why You Shouldn't Share That Cute Lemur Video"  National Geographic. 

No Author.  2014.  Neotropical Primate Conservation Website. 

No Author.  No Date.  Primate Conservation, Inc.

No Author.  No Date.  IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group.