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Kaycee Gillespie
February 9, 2016
Anthropology 2281
Writing assignment: Primates in Peril

From reviewing the worlds 25 most endangered primates from 2012-2014, 20142016 and also the list from years ago from 2004-2006, it is a sad reality that some primate
species will most likely never get off the endangered list, and will eventually sadly go
extinct. The 2014-2016 endangered primate list differs from the other two lists in many
different ways. The first major difference is that new primate species have been added to
the new list of top 25 most endangered that were not listed on the 2004-2006 and 20122014 lists. The 2014-2016 list has four species that were on the endangered list from
previous years that were removed and then added back on for 2014-2016. The 2014-2016
list has eleven of the same species that were on the 2004-2006 list, and four species that
are new to the top 25 most endangered primates list.
Four species that currently are on the 25 most endangered primates list include:
the Perriers sifaka, Philippine tarsier, Sumatran orangutan, and the brown spider
monkey.
Perriers sifaka located in northeastern Madagascar.

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These primates are one of the most endangered, even though they can rarely be
spotted. They are mostly covered in all black fur, and weigh about 8-10 pounds, and are
around 85 cm with a tail consuming about half of their length. They live in the canopies
of trees and have a herbivorous diet, consisting of food like nuts, berries, and leaves.
Sifakas have a locomotion pattern of clinging and leaping, which is why they have such
long tails. They live in small groups and mate once a year during the summer. Sifakas
are known for the vocal calls they have within their groups. They are endangered and
face extinction due mostly to habitat loss and some hunting. There are efforts in
Madagascar to help save these species; the problem is they havent been studied as
extensively.
(http://www.arkive.org/perriers-sifaka/propithecus-perrieri/)

The Philippine Tarsier Located in the Philippines and on the islands of Samar, Leyte,
Dinagat, Siargao, Bohol, Mindanao, Maripipi and Basilan.

These little Primates are only about 6 inches in length and weigh a little less than
half a pound. They are very small with extremely large eyes for their size. This primate
also is able to rotate its head all the way around. This little tarsier has an opposable toe

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that helps grip tight on branches. Their tail is used to support them when moving by
clinging from branch to branch. Philippine tarsiers are nocturnal, during the day they
sleep in trees and at night they hunt for insects. Mainly living in trees and forests, some
of these tarsiers have been seen in thick vegetation shrubs. Even though this tarsier is so
tiny they give birth to young that are almost fully developed and weigh of their size.
The Philippine Tarsier faces extinction because of population growth that causes
deforestation. They are also at risk of being captured for trade. There are some
conservation efforts to help monitor and stop the trading and selling of the tarsiers, but it
is not very effective in the Philippines.
(http://www.arkive.org/philippine-tarsier/tarsius-syrichta/)

Sumatran orangutan located in Indonesia.

The Sumatran orangutans habitat is in tropical rainforests. They are sexually

dimorphic, males weigh about 165 pounds, and females weigh around 110 pounds.

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Males also have large flaring cheek pads that females do not have. They are very
intelligent and have acquired the use of tools, which have been passed down through
generations. Sumatran orangutans are specially made for a life living in trees with their
extremely long arms and perfectly grasping hands and feet. They spend most all of their
time in the trees, which is why they have such long arms; for moving slowly through
trees without having to jump. These orangutans live very long spanned out lives. Infants
spend the first three years of their life being carried by their mothers, and are cared for till
they are eight years old. They have a mostly fruit diet, however, they will eat meat if
given to them. Although it takes these Orangutans twice as long to chew up a piece of
meat as it does a chimpanzee. They face extinction because of how slow moving they are,
and also the loss of their habitat. Conservation efforts have made it a law with hunting
and harming this species. There is also a national park in Sumatran that is 25,000
kilometers that is a safe haven for the orangutans to live.
(http://www.arkive.org/sumatran-orangutan/pongo-abelii/image-G4008.html)

The brown spider monkey located in northern Columbia and northern Venezuela.

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The brown spider monkey ranges around 20-25 pounds in weight and is about 4550 inches long. They have a long prehensile tail that is highly valuable to them for
clinging and balance. They have somewhat kind of different way of social pattern,
consisting of multiple males and females, which break up into smaller sub-groups when
looking for food. They are diurnal, so their diet mostly includes fruit, due to deforestation
of their habitat loss they sometimes resort to eating leaves and flowers. The spider
monkey only gives birth every three to four years. The first couple of months after birth
their young will cling onto the mothers everywhere they go.
(http://www.arkive.org/variegated-spider-monkey/ateles-hybridus/image-G16221.html)

It is very clear to me that the main threat facing our primates is the loss of forests.
As the worlds population grows larger and larger by the year, our planets animals and
ecosystems get smaller by the year. It is a very sad reality that we are killing our own
planet and its beautiful creatures. Our day-to-day lives are slowly destroying everything
that lives and breathes on this earth, even ourselves. The air that we breathe in Salt Lake

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City is not clean and fresh; it is almost equivalent to smoking a cigarette. We live in a
society that is so wasteful. So much paper and plastic is used and wasted everyday.
Plastic that fills up landfills of what used to be habitats, and paper that was once part of a
tree in a forest. There is no turning back time to what our planet looked like before men
evolved to what we are now, but there are ways to help preserve it. One conservation
effort that I believe is very important and beneficial is the organization of sanctuaries. I
think that the more sanctuaries that are organized for animals that are facing extinction
will help keep those animals from becoming fully extinct. Sanctuaries are only meant to
benefit the animal and are non-profit organizations. Another important conservation effort
that I also believe will help the planets future is the preserving of forests and turning them
into national parks. National parks are well monitored and have people working daily on
preserving the parks. One major thing that all conservation efforts come down to, if they
are going to be successful, is the help and willingness of the governments involved. If the
government makes it a priority to preserve the animals and their ecosystems it will be
more achievable to help save the animals and habitats that are threatened and keep other
species from becoming threatened.

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Reference page
International Journal of Primatology. Apr2012, Vol. 33 Issue 2, p287-304. 18p. 3 Charts,
3 Graphs, 1 Map.)

GP: General Practitioner; 3/17/2006, p59-59, 1p

International Journal of Primatology. Dec2010, Vol. 31 Issue 6, p1192-1207. 16p. 2

Charts, 7 Graphs.

International Journal of Primatology. Aug2012, Vol. 33 Issue 4, p769-783. 15p. 1 Chart, 2

Graphs.

http://www.arkive.org/perriers-sifaka/propithecus-perrieri/
http://www.arkive.org/variegated-spider-monkey/ateles-hybridus/image-G16221.html

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http://www.arkive.org/sumatran-orangutan/pongo-abelii/image-G4008.html
http://www.arkive.org/philippine-tarsier/tarsius-syrichta/