The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates
Encyclopedia
The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates is a list of highly endangered primate
species selected and published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group (IUCN/SSC PSG), the International Primatological Society
(IPS), and Conservation International
(CI). The IUCN/SSC PSG worked together with CI to start the list in 2000, but in 2002, during the 19th Congress of the International Primatological Society, primatologists
reviewed and debated the list, resulting in the 2002–2004 revision and the endorsement of the IPS. The publication has since been a joint project between the three conservation organizations and has been revised every two years following the biannual Congress of the IPS. Starting with the 2004–2006 report, the title changed to Primates in Peril: The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates. That same year, the list began to provide information about each species, including their conservation status
and the threats they face in the wild. The species text is written in collaboration with experts from the field, with 60 people contributing to the 2006–2008 report and 85 people contributing to the 2008–2010 report. The 2004–2006 and 2006–2008 reports were published in the IUCN/SSC PSG journal Primate Conservation, while the 2008–2010 report was published as an independent publication by all three contributing organizations.
The 25 species on the 2008–2010 list are distributed between 17 countries. The countries with the most species on the list are Madagascar
(five species), Vietnam
(five species), and Indonesia
(four species). The list is broken into four distinct regions: the island of Madagascar, the continent of Africa, the continent of Asia including the islands of Indonesia, and the Neotropics (Central and South America). Seven species have been on all five published lists: the silky sifaka
(Propithecus candidus), Delacour's langur
(Trachypithecus delacouri), golden-headed langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus poliocephalus), grey-shanked douc (Pygathrix cinerea), Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus), Cross River gorilla
(Gorilla gorilla diehli), and Sumatran orangutan
(Pongo abelii).
The purpose of the list, according to Russell Mittermeier
, the president of CI, is "to highlight those [primate species] that are most at risk, to attract the attention of the public, to stimulate national governments to do more, and especially to find the resources to implement desperately-needed conservation measures." Species are selected for the list based on two primary reasons: extremely small population sizes and very rapid drops in numbers. These reasons are heavily influenced by habitat loss
and hunting, the two greatest threats that primates face. More specifically, threats listed in the report include deforestation
due to slash and burn
agriculture, clearing for pasture
or farmland, charcoal
production, firewood
production, illegal logging
, selective logging, mining
, land development
, and cash crop
production; forest fragmentation
; small population size
s; live capture for the exotic pet
trade; and hunting for bushmeat
and traditional medicine
.
(Leontopithecus chrysopygus), golden lion tamarin
(Leontopithecus rosalia), mountain gorilla
(Gorilla beringei beringei), and Perrier's sifaka
(Propithecus perrieri). In 2008, the black lion tamarin went from Critically Endangered to Endangered and the golden lion tamarin was similarly promoted in 2003 after three decades of collaborative conservation efforts by zoos and other institutions. Well-protected species such as these still have very small populations, and due to deforestation, new habitat is still needed for their long-term survival. The Hainan black crested gibbon (Nomascus hainanus), which was removed from the 2008–2010 list, still has fewer than 20 individuals left, but significant efforts to protect it are now being made. Mittermeier claimed in 2007 that all 25 species would be elevated off the list within five to ten years if conservation organizations had the necessary resources.
Unlike the changes in the 2006–2008 report, not all species were removed from the 2008–2010 list due to improvement in their situation. Instead, new species were added to bring attention to other closely related species with very small populations that are also at risk of extinction. For example, the highly endangered eastern black crested gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) replaced the Hainan black crested gibbon. The Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus) replaced the Horton Plains slender loris (Loris tardigradus nycticeboides) because the former has been hit the hardest of Asian loris
es, all of which are declining rapidly due primarily to capture for the exotic pet trade
, as well as use in traditional medicines and forest loss. In another case, the brown-headed spider monkey
(Ateles fusciceps fusciceps) was omitted from the list since no spokesperson could be found for the species.
The 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
offered assessments of 634 primate taxa
, of which 303 (47.8%) were listed as threatened
(Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered). A total of 206 primate species were ranked as either Critically Endangered or Endangered, 54 (26%) of which have been included at least once in The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates since 2000.
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
species selected and published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group (IUCN/SSC PSG), the International Primatological Society
International Primatological Society
International Primatological Society is a scientific, educational, and charitable organization focused on non-human primates. It encourages scientific research in all areas of study, facilitates international cooperation among researchers, and promote primate conservation.Together with the IUCN...
(IPS), and Conservation International
Conservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
(CI). The IUCN/SSC PSG worked together with CI to start the list in 2000, but in 2002, during the 19th Congress of the International Primatological Society, primatologists
Primatology
Primatology is the scientific study of primates. It is a diverse discipline and researchers can be found in academic departments of anatomy, anthropology, biology, medicine, psychology, veterinary sciences and zoology, as well as in animal sanctuaries, biomedical research facilities, museums and zoos...
reviewed and debated the list, resulting in the 2002–2004 revision and the endorsement of the IPS. The publication has since been a joint project between the three conservation organizations and has been revised every two years following the biannual Congress of the IPS. Starting with the 2004–2006 report, the title changed to Primates in Peril: The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates. That same year, the list began to provide information about each species, including their conservation status
Conservation status
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group is still extant and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future...
and the threats they face in the wild. The species text is written in collaboration with experts from the field, with 60 people contributing to the 2006–2008 report and 85 people contributing to the 2008–2010 report. The 2004–2006 and 2006–2008 reports were published in the IUCN/SSC PSG journal Primate Conservation, while the 2008–2010 report was published as an independent publication by all three contributing organizations.
The 25 species on the 2008–2010 list are distributed between 17 countries. The countries with the most species on the list are Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
(five species), Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
(five species), and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
(four species). The list is broken into four distinct regions: the island of Madagascar, the continent of Africa, the continent of Asia including the islands of Indonesia, and the Neotropics (Central and South America). Seven species have been on all five published lists: the silky sifaka
Silky Sifaka
The silky sifaka , or silky simpona, is a large lemur characterized by long, silky white fur. It has a very restricted range in northeastern Madagascar, where it is known locally as the simpona...
(Propithecus candidus), Delacour's langur
Delacour's Langur
The Delacour's langur, or Delacour's lutung, is a critically endangered species of lutung endemic to Vietnam. It is considered to be one of the world's most endangered primate species...
(Trachypithecus delacouri), golden-headed langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus poliocephalus), grey-shanked douc (Pygathrix cinerea), Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus), Cross River gorilla
Cross River Gorilla
The Cross River gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that can be found on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, in both tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests which are also home to the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee, another subspecies of great ape...
(Gorilla gorilla diehli), and Sumatran orangutan
Sumatran Orangutan
The Sumatran orangutan is one of the two species of orangutans. Found only on the island of Sumatra, in Indonesia, it is rarer and smaller than the Bornean orangutan. The Sumatran orangutan grows to about tall and in males...
(Pongo abelii).
The purpose of the list, according to Russell Mittermeier
Russell Mittermeier
Russell Alan Mittermeier is a primatologist, herpetologist and biological anthropologist. He has written several books for both popular and scientist audiences, and has authored some 300 scientific papers.-Biography:...
, the president of CI, is "to highlight those [primate species] that are most at risk, to attract the attention of the public, to stimulate national governments to do more, and especially to find the resources to implement desperately-needed conservation measures." Species are selected for the list based on two primary reasons: extremely small population sizes and very rapid drops in numbers. These reasons are heavily influenced by habitat loss
Habitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
and hunting, the two greatest threats that primates face. More specifically, threats listed in the report include deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
due to slash and burn
Slash and burn
Slash-and-burn is an agricultural technique which involves cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology or other tools. It is typically part of shifting cultivation agriculture, and of transhumance livestock...
agriculture, clearing for pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
or farmland, charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
production, firewood
Firewood
Firewood is any wood-like material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not highly processed and is in some sort of recognizable log or branch form....
production, illegal logging
Illegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the...
, selective logging, mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
, land development
Land development
Land development refers to altering the landscape in any number of ways such as:* changing landforms from a natural or semi-natural state for a purpose such as agriculture or housing...
, and cash crop
Cash crop
In agriculture, a cash crop is a crop which is grown for profit.The term is used to differentiate from subsistence crops, which are those fed to the producer's own livestock or grown as food for the producer's family...
production; forest fragmentation
Forest fragmentation
Forest fragmentation is a form of habitat fragmentation, occurring when forests are cut down in a manner that leaves relatively small, isolated patches of forest known as forest fragments or forest remnants. The intervening matrix that separates the remaining woodland patches can be natural open...
; small population size
Small population size
Small populations behave differently from larger populations. They often result in population bottlenecks, which have harmful consequences for the survival of that population.-Demographic effects:...
s; live capture for the exotic pet
Exotic pet
An exotic pet is a rare or unusual animal pet, or an animal kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet.The definition is an evolving one; some rodents, reptiles, and amphibians have become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy to no longer be considered exotic...
trade; and hunting for bushmeat
Bushmeat
Bushmeat initially referred to the hunting of wild animals in West and Central Africa and is a calque from the French viande de brousse. Today the term is commonly used for meat of terrestrial wild animals, killed for subsistence or commercial purposes throughout the humid tropics of the Americas,...
and traditional medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
.
Key
| Species | Common and scientific name of the species, including a picture if available |
| Years listed | Years the species has been included in the IUCN's list of the "Top 25 Most Endangered Primates" |
| Location(s) | Countries in which it is found |
| Estimated population | Latest population estimate from the IUCN |
| IUCN status | Conservation status of the species, per the IUCN as of the date of the latest list publication |
| Threats | A list of threats facing the species; used by the IUCN in assessing conservation status |
Current list
| Species | Years listed | Location(s) | Estimated population | IUCN status | Threats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madagascar | |||||
| Greater bamboo lemur Greater Bamboo Lemur The Greater Bamboo Lemur , also known as the Broad-nosed Bamboo Lemur and the Broad-nosed Gentle Lemur, is the largest bamboo lemur, at over five pounds or nearly 2.5 kilograms. It has greyish brown fur and white ear tufts, and has a head-body length of around one and a half feet, or forty to... Prolemur simus |
2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Madagascar | 100–160 or fewer |
|
|
| Gray-headed lemur Gray-headed Lemur The gray-headed lemur , or gray-headed brown lemur, is a medium-sized primate, a cathemeral species of lemur in the Lemuridae family. Until a taxonomic revision in 2008, it was known as the white-collared brown lemur or white-collared lemur . It lives in south-eastern Madagascar... Eulemur cinereiceps |
2004 2006 2008 |
Madagascar | 7,265 ± 2,268 |
Red-fronted Lemur The red-fronted lemur , also known as the red-fronted brown lemur or southern red-fronted brown lemur, is a species of lemur from Madagascar. Until 2001, it was considered a subspecies of the common brown lemur, E. fulvus. In 2001, E... (E. rufifrons) |
|
| Blue-eyed black lemur Eulemur flavifrons |
2008 | Madagascar | 450–2,300 |
|
|
| Northern sportive lemur Northern Sportive Lemur The northern sportive lemur , also known as the Sahafary sportive lemur or northern weasel lemur, is a species of lemur in the Lepilemuridae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. It is threatened by habitat loss and has been named one of "The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates."-References:... Lepilemur septentrionalis |
2008 | Madagascar | fewer than 100 |
|
|
| Silky sifaka Silky Sifaka The silky sifaka , or silky simpona, is a large lemur characterized by long, silky white fur. It has a very restricted range in northeastern Madagascar, where it is known locally as the simpona... Propithecus candidus |
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Madagascar | 100–1,000 |
|
|
| Africa | |||||
| Rondo dwarf galago Galagoides rondoensis |
2006 2008 |
Tanzania | unknown |
|
|
| Roloway monkey Roloway Monkey The Roloway monkey is a species of Old World monkey found in a small area of eastern Côte d'Ivoire and the forests of Ghana, between the Sassandra and Pra Rivers.... Cercopithecus diana roloway |
2002 2006 2008 |
Côte d'Ivoire Ghana |
unknown |
|
|
| Tana River red colobus Tana River Red Colobus The Tana River red colobus , also called the eastern red colobus, is a highly endangered species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is endemic to a narrow zone of gallery forest near the Tana River in southeastern Kenya. As all red colobuses, it was formerly considered a subspecies of a... Procolobus rufomitratus |
2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Kenya | fewer than 1,000 |
|
|
| Niger Delta red colobus Niger Delta Red Colobus The Niger Delta red colobus is a species of colobus monkey. From the time it first became known to science in 1993 until 2007 or 2008 it was considered a subspecies of the western red colobus, Procolobus badius and more recently Pennant's colobus, Procolobus pennantii, and its trinomial name was... Procolobus epieni |
2008 | Nigeria | unknown |
|
|
 Kipunji The kipunji is a species of Old World monkey that lives in the highland forests of Tanzania. It is the only member of its genus. Also known as the highland mangabey, it is about three feet long and has long brown fur, which stands in tufts on the sides and top of its head. Its face and eyelids... Rungwecebus kipunji |
2006 2008 |
Tanzania | around 1,117 |
|
|
 Cross River Gorilla The Cross River gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that can be found on the border between Nigeria and Cameroon, in both tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests which are also home to the Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee, another subspecies of great ape... Gorilla gorilla diehli |
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Cameroon Nigeria |
200–300 |
|
|
| Asia | |||||
| Siau Island tarsier Siau Island Tarsier Siau Island tarsier is a species of tarsier from the tiny volcanic island of Siau.Its existence as a distinct taxon was predicted by the hybrid biogeographic hypothesis for Sulawesi... Tarsius tumpara |
2006 2008 |
Indonesia (Siau Island) | Low thousands at best | Not Evaluated Not Evaluated Not Evaluated is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when they haven't been studied by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species... |
|
| Javan slow loris Javan slow loris The Javan slow loris is a strepsirrhine primate and a species of slow loris native to the western and central portions of the island of Java, in Indonesia... Nycticebus javanicus |
2008 | Indonesia (Java) | unknown |
|
|
| Pig-tailed langur Pig-tailed Langur The pig-tailed langur is a large, rather heavily built Old World monkey, which is adapted to climbing with its long arms. Its fur is black-brown, and its hairless face is also black. It is the only monkey in the subfamily Colobinae to have a relatively short tail; the tail is only slightly furred... Simias concolor |
2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Indonesia (Mentawai Islands) | around 3,347 |
|
|
| Delacour's langur Delacour's Langur The Delacour's langur, or Delacour's lutung, is a critically endangered species of lutung endemic to Vietnam. It is considered to be one of the world's most endangered primate species... Trachypithecus delacouri |
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Vietnam | 200 or fewer |
Habitat fragmentation Habitat fragmentation as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment , causing population fragmentation... (60% occur in isolated populations of fewer than 20 animals) |
|
| Golden-headed langur Trachypithecus poliocephalus poliocephalus |
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Vietnam | 60–70 |
Karst topography Karst topography is a geologic formation shaped by the dissolution of a layer or layers of soluble bedrock, usually carbonate rock such as limestone or dolomite, but has also been documented for weathering resistant rocks like quartzite given the right conditions.Due to subterranean drainage, there... island of 140 km2) |
|
| Western purple-faced langur Western Purple-faced Langur The western purple-faced langur , also known as the north lowland wetzone purple-faced langur, is a subspecies of purple-faced langur endemic to Sri Lanka. It lives in the wet zone in western Sri Lanka around the former capital city of Colombo... Trachypithecus vetulus nestor |
2004 2006 2008 |
Sri Lanka | unknown |
|
|
| Grey-shanked douc Pygathrix cinerea |
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Vietnam | 600–700 |
|
|
| Tonkin snub-nosed monkey Rhinopithecus avunculus |
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Vietnam | fewer than 200 |
|
|
| Eastern black crested gibbon Eastern Black Crested Gibbon The eastern black crested gibbon is a species of gibbon that was once widespread in China and Vietnam. There are two subspecies.... Nomascus nasutus |
2008 | China Vietnam |
around 110 |
|
|
| Western hoolock gibbon Western Hoolock Gibbon The western hoolock gibbon is a primate from the Hylobatidae family. The species is found in Assam, Bangladesh and in Myanmar west of the Chindwin River.-Classification:... Hoolock hoolock |
2006 2008 |
Bangladesh India Myanmar |
fewer than 5,000 |
|
|
 Sumatran Orangutan The Sumatran orangutan is one of the two species of orangutans. Found only on the island of Sumatra, in Indonesia, it is rarer and smaller than the Bornean orangutan. The Sumatran orangutan grows to about tall and in males... Pongo abelii |
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 |
Indonesia (Sumatra) | around 6,600 |
|
|
| Neotropics | |||||
 Saguinus oedipus |
2008 | Colombia | fewer than 6,000 |
|
|
.jpg) Ateles hybridus |
2004 2006 2008 |
Colombia Venezuela |
unknown |
|
|
| Yellow-tailed woolly monkey Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey The yellow-tailed woolly monkey is a New World monkey endemic to Peru. It is a rare primate species found only in the Peruvian Andes, in the departments of Amazonas and San Martin as well as bordering areas of La Libertad, Huanuco and Loreto... Oreonax flavicauda |
2000 2006 2008 |
Peru | unknown |
|
|
Former list members
With each new publication, species are both added and removed from the list. In some cases, removal from the list signifies improvement for the species. With the publication of the 2006–2008, four species were removed from the list because of increased conservation efforts: the black lion tamarinBlack Lion Tamarin
The black lion tamarin also known as the golden-rumped lion tamarin is a lion tamarin endemic to the Brazilian state of São Paulo, almost exclusively at the Morro do Diabo State Park. The lion tamarins are of the rarest of the New world monkeys and for this reason, so little is none about them...
(Leontopithecus chrysopygus), golden lion tamarin
Golden Lion Tamarin
The golden lion tamarin also known as the golden marmoset, is a small New World monkey of the family Callitrichidae...
(Leontopithecus rosalia), mountain gorilla
Mountain Gorilla
The Mountain Gorilla is one of the two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla. There are two populations. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic...
(Gorilla beringei beringei), and Perrier's sifaka
Perrier's Sifaka
Perrier's sifaka is a sifaka endemic to Madagascar. It has a length of 85 to 92 centimeters, of which 42-46 centimeters are tail. Perrier's sifaka has a very limited range in northeastern Madagascar between the Irodo River to the north and the Lokia River to the south. It lives in dry deciduous...
(Propithecus perrieri). In 2008, the black lion tamarin went from Critically Endangered to Endangered and the golden lion tamarin was similarly promoted in 2003 after three decades of collaborative conservation efforts by zoos and other institutions. Well-protected species such as these still have very small populations, and due to deforestation, new habitat is still needed for their long-term survival. The Hainan black crested gibbon (Nomascus hainanus), which was removed from the 2008–2010 list, still has fewer than 20 individuals left, but significant efforts to protect it are now being made. Mittermeier claimed in 2007 that all 25 species would be elevated off the list within five to ten years if conservation organizations had the necessary resources.
Unlike the changes in the 2006–2008 report, not all species were removed from the 2008–2010 list due to improvement in their situation. Instead, new species were added to bring attention to other closely related species with very small populations that are also at risk of extinction. For example, the highly endangered eastern black crested gibbon (Nomascus nasutus) replaced the Hainan black crested gibbon. The Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus) replaced the Horton Plains slender loris (Loris tardigradus nycticeboides) because the former has been hit the hardest of Asian loris
Loris
Loris is the common name for the strepsirrhine primates of the subfamily Lorisinae in family Lorisidae. Loris is one genus in this subfamily and includes the slender lorises, while Nycticebus is the genus for the slow lorises....
es, all of which are declining rapidly due primarily to capture for the exotic pet trade
Exotic pet
An exotic pet is a rare or unusual animal pet, or an animal kept as a pet which is not commonly thought of as a pet.The definition is an evolving one; some rodents, reptiles, and amphibians have become firmly enough established in the world of animal fancy to no longer be considered exotic...
, as well as use in traditional medicines and forest loss. In another case, the brown-headed spider monkey
Brown-headed Spider Monkey
The Brown-headed spider monkey , is a subspecies of the Black-headed spider monkey, a type of New World monkey, found in Ecuador. Its type locality is at 1500 m in the Hacienda Chinipamba, Imbabura Province in North-West Ecuador...
(Ateles fusciceps fusciceps) was omitted from the list since no spokesperson could be found for the species.
| Species | Years listed | Location(s) | Estimated population | IUCN status | Threats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madagascar | |||||
| Golden-crowned sifaka Golden-crowned Sifaka The golden-crowned sifaka or Tattersall's sifaka is a medium-sized lemur characterized by mostly white fur, prominent furry ears and a golden-orange crown. It is one of the smallest sifakas , weighing around and measuring approximately from head to tail... Propithecus tattersalli |
2000 | Madagascar | 6,000–10,000 |
|
|
| Golden bamboo lemur Golden Bamboo Lemur The Golden Bamboo Lemur or Golden Lemur is a medium sized bamboo lemur endemic to southeastern Madagascar. It is listed as an endangered species due to habitat loss. The population is declining with only about 1000 individuals... Hapalemur aureus |
2000 | Madagascar | fewer than 5,916 |
|
|
 Hapalemur alaotrensis |
2000 | Madagascar | around 2,500 |
|
|
| Sahamalaza sportive lemur Lepilemur sahamalazensis |
2006 | Madagascar | unknown |
|
|
| Perrier's sifaka Perrier's Sifaka Perrier's sifaka is a sifaka endemic to Madagascar. It has a length of 85 to 92 centimeters, of which 42-46 centimeters are tail. Perrier's sifaka has a very limited range in northeastern Madagascar between the Irodo River to the north and the Lokia River to the south. It lives in dry deciduous... Propithecus perrieri |
2000 2002 2004 |
Madagascar | around 915 |
|
|
| Africa | |||||
| Mt. Rungwe galago Galagoides sp. |
2004 | Tanzania | unknown | Not Evaluated Not Evaluated Not Evaluated is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when they haven't been studied by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species... |
|
| Sclater's guenon Sclater's Guenon Sclater's guenon , also known as Sclater's monkey and the Nigerian monkey, is an Old World monkey that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1904 and named after Philip Sclater. It is an arboreal and diurnal primate that lives in the forests of southern Nigeria... Cercopithecus sclateri |
2000 | Nigeria | unknown |
|
|
 Drill (mammal) The Drill is a primate of the family Cercopithecidae , closely related to the Baboons and even more closely to the Mandrill.-Description:... Mandrillus leucophaeus |
2000 | Cameroon Equatorial Guinea (Bioko) Nigeria |
unknown |
|
|
| Tana River mangabey Tana River Mangabey The Tana River mangabey is a highly endangered species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. Some authorities have included the taxa agilis and sanjei as subspecies of this species, while others award these full species status.It is endemic to riverine forest patches along the lower Tana River... Cercocebus galeritus galeritus |
2002 | Kenya | 1,000–1,200 |
|
|
| Sanje mangabey Sanje Mangabey The Sanje mangabey is a highly endangered Old World monkey of the white-eyelid mangabey group from Tanzania. They are about 50-65 centimeters long, excluding tail, and weigh about 7-9 kilograms, and their body color is greyish. They live in valley forests, but are mostly ground-dwelling, which... Cercocebus sanjei |
2000 2002 2004 |
Tanzania | fewer than 1,300 |
|
|
 Sooty Mangabey The sooty mangabey is an Old World monkey found in forests from Senegal east to Ghana. It is famous for being believed to be the monkey that HIV-2 might have originated in before jumping species... Cercocebus atys lunulatus |
2000 2002 2004 |
Côte d'Ivoire Ghana |
unknown |
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| Miss Waldron's red colobus Miss Waldron's Red Colobus Miss Waldron's red colobus is a subspecies of the western red colobus native to West Africa. It has not been officially sighted since 1978 and was considered extinct in 2000. However, new evidence suggests that a very small number of these monkeys may be living in the southeast corner of Ivory Coast... Piliocolobus badius waldronae |
2000 2002 2006 |
Côte d'Ivoire Ghana |
unknown |
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| Pennant's colobus Pennant's Colobus Pennant's colobus is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. Its distribution is peculiarly disjunct and has been considered a biogeographical puzzle, with one population on the island of Bioko , a second in the Niger River Delta in southern Nigeria, and a third in east-central... Procolobus pennantii |
2004 2006 |
Congo Equatorial Guinea (Bioko) Nigeria |
unknown (P. p. bouvieri may be extinct) |
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| Mountain gorilla Mountain Gorilla The Mountain Gorilla is one of the two subspecies of the Eastern Gorilla. There are two populations. One is found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, within three National Parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga in the eastern Democratic... Gorilla beringei beringei |
2000 2002 2004 |
Rwanda Uganda |
around 600 |
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| Horton Plains slender loris Loris tardigradus nycticeboides |
2004 2006 |
Sri Lanka | unknown |
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| Natuna Island surili Natuna Island Surili The Natuna Island surili is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is endemic to the Indonesian island of Natuna Besar. It was separated from P. siamensis by Groves in 2001.... Presbytis natunae |
2002 | Indonesia | fewer than 10,000 |
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| White-headed langur White-headed Langur The white-headed langur is a critically endangered langur from Cat Ba Island, Vietnam , and Guangxi, China . Both taxa are overall blackish, but the crown, cheeks and neck are yellowish in T. p. poliocephalus, while they, as suggested by its scientific name, are white in T. p... Trachypithecus poliocephalus leucocephalus |
2002 | China | unknown |
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| Miller's grizzled langur Presbytis hosei canicrus |
2004 | Indonesia (Kalimantan) | unknown |
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| Black snub-nosed monkey Black Snub-nosed Monkey The black snub-nosed monkey , also known as the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, is an endangered species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is endemic to China, where it is known to the locals as the Yunnan golden hair monkey and the black golden hair monkey... Rhinopithecus bieti |
2002 | China | fewer than 2,000 |
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| Gray snub-nosed monkey Gray Snub-nosed Monkey The gray snub-nosed monkey , also known as the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is endemic to China, where it is known as the Guizhou golden hair monkey or gray golden hair monkey . It is threatened by habitat loss... Rhinopithecus brelichi |
2002 | China | around 750 |
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| Silvery gibbon Silvery Gibbon The silvery gibbon is a primate in the Hylobatidae or gibbon family. Its coat is bluish-grey in colour, with a dark grey or black cap. Like all gibbons, Silvery Gibbons lack external tails, have dorsally-placed scapula and reduced flexibility in the lumbar region. They have long, curved fingers... Hylobates moloch |
2000 | Indonesia (Java) | 4,000–4,500 |
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| Hainan black crested gibbon Nomascus hainanus |
2000 2004 2006 |
China (Hainan) | around 20 |
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 Golden Lion Tamarin The golden lion tamarin also known as the golden marmoset, is a small New World monkey of the family Callitrichidae... Leontopithecus rosalia |
2000 | Brazil (Rio de Janeiro) | more than 1,000 |
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 Black Lion Tamarin The black lion tamarin also known as the golden-rumped lion tamarin is a lion tamarin endemic to the Brazilian state of São Paulo, almost exclusively at the Morro do Diabo State Park. The lion tamarins are of the rarest of the New world monkeys and for this reason, so little is none about them... Leontopithecus chrysopygus |
2000 | Brazil (São Paulo) | around 1,000 |
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| Superagui lion tamarin Superagui Lion Tamarin The Superagui lion tamarin is a small New World primate of the family Callitrichidae. It is an endemic Brazilian lion tamarin, found in a small area in the coastal Atlantic Forest region of southeast Brazil, and named after a man-made island called Superagui.-External links:*ARKive - *... Leontopithecus caissara |
2000 2002 2004 |
Brazil (Paraná and São Paulo) | fewer than 400 |
Heart of palm Heart of palm, also called palm heart, palmito, burglar's thigh, chonta, palm cabbage or swamp cabbage, is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing bud of certain palm trees Heart of palm, also called palm heart, palmito, burglar's thigh, chonta, palm cabbage or swamp cabbage, is a... harvesting, tourism) |
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 Golden-bellied Capuchin The golden-bellied capuchin , also known as the yellow-breasted or buffy-headed capuchin, is one of several species of New World monkeys.... Cebus xanthosternos |
2000 2002 2004 |
Brazil (Bahia, Minas Gerais?) | unknown |
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| Brown-headed spider monkey Brown-headed Spider Monkey The Brown-headed spider monkey , is a subspecies of the Black-headed spider monkey, a type of New World monkey, found in Ecuador. Its type locality is at 1500 m in the Hacienda Chinipamba, Imbabura Province in North-West Ecuador... Ateles fusciceps fusciceps |
2006 | Colombia (mainland) Ecuador (mainland) Panama |
unknown |
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| Northern muriqui Northern Muriqui The northern muriqui is an endangered muriqui species endemic to Brazil. It is unusual among primates in that shows egaliterian social relationship. It is found in the Atlantic Forest region of the Brazilian states of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais and Bahia. Muriquis are the... Brachyteles hypoxanthus |
2000 2002 2004 |
Brazil (Bahia, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais) | more than 855 |
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List history
With the exception of the 2000–2002 publication, which was written collaboratively by the IUCN/SSC PSG and CI, the list has been revised every two years following the biannual Congress of the IPS. The 2002–2004 list resulted from the 19th Congress of the IPS in Beijing, China; the 2004–2006 list followed the 20th Congress of the IPS, held in Torino, Italy; the 2006–2008 list after the 21st Congress in Entebbe, Uganda; and the 2008–2010 list followed the 22nd Congress held in Edinburgh, UK.The 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
offered assessments of 634 primate taxa
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
, of which 303 (47.8%) were listed as threatened
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
(Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered). A total of 206 primate species were ranked as either Critically Endangered or Endangered, 54 (26%) of which have been included at least once in The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates since 2000.
| Madagascar | Africa | Asia | Neotropics | |
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| 2000–2002 |
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| 2002–2004 |
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| 2004–2006 |
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| 2006–2008 |
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| 2008–2010 |
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External links
- The Top 25 Most Endangered Primates, 2008–2010 – The official IUCN web site for The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates