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Singapore Zoo reveals world's 25 most endangered primates

Xinhua, November 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

More than half of mankind's closest living relatives - the world's apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates - are on the brink of extinction and in need of urgent conservation measures, according to a report launched at Singapore Zoo on Tuesday.

The report "Primates in Peril: The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates, 2014-2016," which is updated every two years, is compiled by 63 experts from across the world. It highlights the plight of species such as the Hainan gibbon, of which there are thought to be just 25 individuals left in the wild.

More than half of the world's primate species are classified as threatened with extinction on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The main threats are habitat destruction, particularly from the burning and clearing of tropical forests, the hunting of primates for food, and the illegal wildlife trade.

The list includes five primate species from Madagascar, five from Africa, 10 from Asia, and five from Central and South America, all of which are the most in need of urgent conservation action.

Dr Russell Mittermeier, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and Executive Vice Chair of Conservation International, said: "The purpose of our Top 25 list is to highlight those primates 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. In particular, we want to encourage governments to commit to desperately needed biodiversity conservation measures."

Singapore Zoo is home to more than 450 primates from 49 species. This includes 18 species of Asian primates like the critically-endangered Sumatran orang utan, Javan slow loris, western purple-faced langur, and red ruffed lemur.

"Alarmingly 10 of world's 25 most endangered primates are found in Asia. Wildlife Reserves Singapore will step up our efforts in the conservation of some of these species," said Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, Chief Life Sciences Officer, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, the parent company of Singapore Zoo. Enditem