Spotlight on Students: Primate Conservation

The following is a guest post featuring the work of a student enrolled in SA 202: Introduction to Anthropology.  This exceptional work highlights the importance of primate conservation.  I hope you find this piece informative and are inspired to make a positive change in the world that will help this and other endangered primates.

 

By: Erin Lambert

Western Red Colobus (Image Source: New England Primate Conservancy)

 

            All over the globe, species are going extinct. Both in the water and on land, there are animals that are ceasing to exist, and primates are especially at risk. One of these animals is the Western Red Colobus monkey. According to the New England Primate Conservancy (2019), this primate species has experienced a huge reduction in its population because of hunting by humans, as well as habitat loss. Humans have targeted this species by using commercial hunting for the bushmeat trade. Furthermore, they have lost a considerable amount of their habitat to deforestation and logging (Heim, 2019). The Western Red Colobus monkey is dying out rapidly, but there are things that society can do to stop this before it is too late. This essay will display the importance of protecting the Western Red Colobus by addressing their behavior and characteristics, what has caused them to become endangered, and how to prevent their extinction.

            According to Animalia (2021), the Western Red Colobus monkey (Piliocolobus badius) is native to the tropical areas of West Africa, including the countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast. In terms of appearance, they can have red or brown limbs, as well as a black or gray torso. They also have thick tails and long fingers. They typically like to live high up in the trees, and often live in groups between 12 and 80 members. Western Red Colobus monkeys also have a social hierarchy, with the monkeys at the top receiving the best grooming, food, and shelter. They are herbivores, often eating fruits and seeds, which lends to their ecosystem by spreading the seeds. Unfortunately, there is no official total for how many still exist in the wild, but there is estimated to be slightly over 100,000 left (“Western Red Colobus” 2021). Furthermore, according to the New England Primate Conservancy (2019), these monkeys prefer to be monogamous, as females often travel to find a satisfactory mate. Female monkeys reproduce every two years, carrying their child for just six months. However, it is uncertain how involved and caring these monkeys are to their offspring after birth (Heim, 2019).

            Several factors have contributed to the decreasing population and endangerment of the Western Red Colobus monkey. According to the New England Primate Conservancy (2019), commercial hunting and deforestation have played a huge role in their endangerment. These monkeys are often hunted for the bushmeat trade, and there is such a lack in law enforcement in national parks, which makes poaching these monkeys incredibly easy. Moreover, habitat loss has also contributed to the problem, as logging and charcoal production take down the trees they live in. However, other factors such as war, civil unrest, and military interference have affected the Western Red Colobus population, as this can result in death or injury to the monkeys. Unfortunately, these monkeys have not been seen in several national parks in years, and it is suspected to be due to hunting (Heim, 2019).

            There are many things we can do to stop the impending extinction of the Western Red Colobus monkey. According to Mongabay Environmental News (2020), a new action plan has been put in place to save the monkeys. The plan calls for local education to spread awareness about the species’ impending doom. It also has installed a better way to regulate policies and anti-poaching enforcement. They have started programs to raise awareness of the dangers of poaching and how the ecosystem could fail after the Western Red Colobus goes extinct (Nakkazi, 2020). Furthermore, according to Animalia (2021), it is important to save these monkeys from extinction because the West African ecosystem could fail without them. They are known to spread seeds, which leads to the creation of more trees and food for themselves and other species in the area. Because of this, they directly contribute to the nutrition of the species around them (“Western Red Colobus” 2021).

It is important to protect other monkeys in addition to the Western Red Colobus, because other primate species are also being targeted, poached, and endangered all over the world. They help to maintain the ecosystems of forests and, according to Endangered Species International (2021), “many seeds will never be dispersed without the help of primates like chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, or gorillas. They are prey, predator, and mutualist species in food webs and thereby influence ecosystem structure, function, and resilience.” They also help to control other populations and contribute to the nutrition and diet of other species.

Overall, the Western Red Colobus contributes many things to its ecosystem and protects the other species that surround it. However, other primate species need assistance, too. Without primates, ecosystems will crumble and other animals may begin to go extinct right behind them. Saving these species is vitally important to maintaining the Earth, and the first step is to educate those around us on their importance, and emphasize the importance of anti-poaching programs.

 

Works Cited

“Conservation Needs for Primates.” Endangered Species International, 2021,

www.endangeredspeciesinternational.org/news_jan17.html. Accessed 27 Sep. 2021.

Heim, Rachel. “Western Red Colobus.” New England Primate Conservancy, May 2019,

www.neprimateconservancy.org/western-red-colobus.html. Accessed 27 Sep. 2021.

Nakkazi, Esther. “Action Plan for Red Colobus.” Mongabay Environmental News, 6 Jan. 2020,

www.news.mongabay.com/2019/12/action-plan-for-red-colobus/. Accessed 27 Sep. 2021.

“Western Red Colobus.” Animalia, 2021, www.animalia.bio/western-red-colobus. Accessed 27

Sep. 2021.