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: Travis Barrett

Geoffrey's Spider Monkey (Image Credit: National Geographic)

            There are several criteria that a species must meet before they are considered endangered. The IUCN, or the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, has created a “red list” which provides information on all species and their possible extinction status (IUCN Red List, 2021). Geoffroy’s spider monkey, also known as the black-handed spider monkey, is considered critically endangered because of their loss of habitat and dwindling numbers due to be hunted, both for food and because of the exotic pet trade. Endangered species, such as the Geoffroy’s spider monkey, need to be protected as they are vital for keeping their habitats, and in turn the planet, healthy. This essay will discuss recognizable features and behaviors of Geoffroy’s spider monkey, how they are endangered due to human activity, and why this species along with all other species classified as endangered are important and should be protected. 

            The scientific name for this species is ateles geoffroyi, and they can be found in Central America in countries such as Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua. The New England Primate Conservancy, who focus on educating people about protection of wild primates, say that this species has black hands and feet, very slender limbs, and coats that are reddish-brown to black. The majority of their diet includes fruit, which also helps keep them hydrated as they obtain the majority of their water from fruits. They are also arboreal and require a lot of space, which is why deforestation has impacted them so harshly (Geoffroys Spider monkey, n.d.).

            Humans endanger this species in several different ways, one of which being deforestation. They have large home ranges that can span for thousands of acres, and become very vulnerable because of the habitat fragmentation that they face because of both deforestation and urbanization, such as the creation of roads through what was once a survivable habitat for many different species. There are several negative consequences to this, including limiting resources as well as limiting the variety of mates, which leads to a lack of genetic diversity (Martin, 2018) and raises the mortality rate should a population get sick. Geoffroy’s spider monkey is also hunted for multiple different reasons, including food and because they, along with others of the primate order becoming popularized as pets, can be sold for thousands of dollars. 10% of those that were verified to be sold in a study by Melissa S. Seaboch were shown to be of the species spider monkey, costing a minimum of $13,000, and of the ten that they studied, only one lived to be over two years old (Seaboch and Cahoon, 2021) while those in the wild can live more than twenty-five.

            Geoffroy’s spider monkey is important to protect because they are seed dispersers, as the organic materials that fall due to their activity helps to provide nourishment to the soil, leading to the growth of trees. To protect the species, conservation of their habitat is necessary as it is not currently possible to change their status from endangered due to the current state of their habitats. There are also efforts made by zoos to breed those who have not interacted with hopes to promote genetic diversity (Geoffroys Spider monkey, n.d., para. 28). It is necessary to protect all species from extinction as they are important for keeping the planet healthy. As stated above, primates provide nourishment to soil, however they also lead to ecological diversity and are important to food webs because they are both prey and predators in every enviroment that they inhabit (Central American Spider Monkey, n.d.).

            In conclusion, Geoffroy’s spider monkey is only one example of a primate who is endangered, however all of them should be protected because they help keep the planet, and in turn the creatures who live on this planet, healthy. Unfortunately for most endangered primates, their habitat is not safe enough for their species to thrive, but with the help of those who want to help by educating others and work towards conservation efforts, these animals can someday return to the wild without the risk of extinction.

Citations

Martin, J. (2018, August 16). What is habitat fragmentation and what does it mean for wildlife? Woodland Trust. Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2018/08/what-is-habitat-fragmentation-and-what-does-it-mean-for-our-wildlife/

Seaboch, M. S., & Cahoon, S. N. (2021, September 8). Pet primates for sale in the United States. PloS one. Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8425555/#pone.0256552.ref020

Central American spider monkey. EOL. Retrieved February 27, 2022, from https://eol.org/pages/323938

Geoffroys Spider monkey. New England Primate Conservancy. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.neprimateconservancy.org/geoffroys-spider-monkey.html

IUCN red list of threatened species. IUCN. (2021, March 25). Retrieved February 25, 2022, from https://www.iucn.org/resources/conservation-tools/iucn-red-list-threatened-species