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Primate Conservation

 
Coordinators:  Dean Anderson and Nancy Ruggeri, Department of Zoology,
University of Wisconsin-Madison
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The World's Top 25 Most Endangered Primates- 2002

A recent report released by Conservation International (CI) and the Primate Specialist
Group of IUCN was finalized at the 2002 International Primatological Society meetings
in Beijing. It is a revision of their previously released "The World's Top 25 most Endangered Primates",
which indicates that about one out of every three primate species is currently
threatened with extinction.  This updated version suggests that Indonesia now exceeds
Madagascar and Brazil for the country with the most endangered primates.  However,
Madagascar, identified as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, has 10 critically endangered
species, and 21 endangered species.  For the full report, please refer to the link at the bottom
of this message.


Each week, we will be featuring one of the 25 primate species in peril.  This is being
done in conjunction with Conservation International.  The fact sheets are compiled by
Sean Flannery at the WPRC Library and Information Service.


Miss Waldron's Red Colobus (Procolobus badius waldroni)
Côte d'Ivoire


Photo Link: http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/ci/ci07.html

This monkey is teetering on the very brink of extinction. Primatologists have been searching its known range in eastern C๔te d'Ivoire and western Ghana since 1993, but have failed to see a living animal. A single skin found by Dr. Scott McGraw (Ohio State University) in possession of a hunter in southeastern Côte d'Ivoire in early 2002 has raised hopes that at least one population of Miss Waldron's red colobus still hangs on, but if it does a heroic effort will be needed to ensure its survival. Conservation International will support continued searches for living animals. The plight of this monkey highlights threats faced by red colobus generally. Several distinct forms inhabit the forests of Africa, but they have patchy distributions and are particularly vulnerable to human hunters. Many red colobus are endangered, including three other forms in West Africa: Pennant's red colobus (Procolobus pennantii pennantii) of Bioko Island, Preuss's red colobus (P. p. preussi) of Cameroon, and the Niger River Delta red colobus (P. p. epieni). In addition, Bouvier's red colobus (P. p. bouvieri) from the Congo Republic has not been seen for 30 years.

Relevant Citations:

Chapman CA; Peres CA
Primate conservation in the new millennium: The role of scientists.
EVOLUTIONARY ANTHROPOLOGY. 2001. 10(1), Pg: 16-33>

McGraw WS A survey of forest primates near the Ivory Coast's Ehi Lagoon: Further evidence for the extinction of Colobus badius waldroni. [Abstract] AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY. 2001. (Suppl 32), Pgs: 106-107

From ABCNew.com September 12, 2000 Farewell, Monkey: First Primate Extinction of the 20th Century
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/science/DailyNews/monkey000912.html

Fact Sheet:

The full report is available at:
Full report
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Topics in Primate Conservation is supported by a grant RR00167,
Regional Primate Centers Program, National Center for Research
Resources, The National Institutes of Health.
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Posted Date: 1-29-03