Primates in Peril Report: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates 2023–2025

An international team of primate researchers has released a new report, Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates 2023–2025. 

What are Primates?

• Primates are a group of mammals that include monkeys, apes, and humans.
• They are divided into two main groups:
• • Strepsirrhines (Wet-nosed primates) – lemurs, lorises, and galagos (also known as bush babies).
  • Haplorhines (Dry-nosed primates)– tarsiers, monkeys, and apes.
• Key Features of Primates
  • Large brains – helps in problem-solving and complex behavior.
  • Binocular and color vision – good depth perception and ability to see a wide range of colors.
  • Flexible shoulders and limbs – allow easy movement in trees.
    Opposable thumbs (in most) – help in grasping and handling objects.
• Smallest primate: Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur (about 30 grams).
  Largest primate: Eastern gorilla (can weigh over 200 kg).

Key Findings of the Report

• The report identifies the 25 most endangered primates across Asia, Africa, Madagascar, and South America.
• Top Endangered Primates:
  • Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) – Found in Cameroon and Nigeria.
  • Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) – Found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
• Geographical Distribution of Endangered Primates:
  
  • Africa: 6 species
  • Madagascar: 4 species
  • Asia: 9 species
  • South America (Neotropics): 6 species
    
• Two primates from Northeast India and Bangladesh, the Phayre’s Langur and Western Hoolock Gibbon, were considered but didn’t make the final list. 
• Phayre’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayrei)
  • Habitat: Found in eastern Bangladesh, northeastern India, and western Myanmar.
  • Threat Level: Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List for 20 years.
  • Major Threats: Declining population (suspected to have dropped by 50%–80% in three generations).
• Western Hoolock Gibbon (Hoolock hoolock)
  • Habitat: Found in Eastern Bangladesh, northeastern India, and western Myanmar.
  • Threat Level: Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
  • Major Threats: Loss of habitat due to encroachment, agriculture, infrastructure projects, and deforestation.

Recommendations

• Conservation action plan: There is a need for assessment of current population size, genetic structure, and viability of small populations. 
• Habitat connectivity: It can be increased following conservation measures such as restoration, corridors, and transboundary. 
• Legal framework and education and awareness: Mitigation of hunting, trading, habitat loss, and fragmentation requires implementation of laws, awareness and education of the environment, and capacity at national level. 
• Translocation: This conservation strategy helps and ensures survival of isolated populations of animals in new habitats. This approach can be beneficial for endangered primates. 
  • Similarly, rewindling can also be beneficial for endangered primates as it reintroduces confiscated animals in their natural habitat.