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17.2: Appendix B- Primate Conservation

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  • Page ID
    138570

    • Lara Braff
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    Primate Conservation

    Format: In-person or online

    https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/IL2pXnvHFSh0vdUuFr2Hpam8gS5tSQzUgnEufEM2Zo9ai3FZ9TqqsUHhwlnK4pFap_xQb__ie2x0PEI5nwy5wjgrBPGk3n1uRds8apf9c1-V-eNJi6q_Autsu4SA1Vvi0ZFeiJwX
    Bonnet macaques (Macaca radiata) being fed by tourists.

    Author: Lara Braff

    Time needed: 90-120 minutes

    Learning Objectives

    • Describe threats to nonhuman primates
    • Research an endangered nonhuman primate species
    • Develop a public-facing conservation poster for the selected species

    Supplies Needed

    • Access to internet
    • Student worksheet

    Readings

    • Dinsmore, Mary, et al. 2019. Appendix B: Primate Conservation. Explorations.

    Introduction

    As described in Appendix B of Explorations, many nonhuman primate populations are negatively impacted by anthropogenic activities, such as hunting, poaching, deforestation, and global warming. Extinction now threatens over half of all nonhuman primates and three-fourths of primate species face population decline (Dinsmore, et al. 2019). This has dire consequences for all living species due to the essential role that primates play within their local ecologies. As nonhuman primates are our closest living relatives, we humans have a unique obligation to protect them.

    In this activity, students will select an endangered primate species, conduct research on it, and then create a public-facing poster to inform laypeople about the species and how to protect it. This project can be completed outside of class time and then students can present their posters in class.

    Steps

    • This project can be done individually or in groups, and completed in-person or online.
    • Students will select an endangered nonhuman primate species to research.
    • Students will research the species, its ecology, threats to its survival, and steps humans can take to protect it.
    • Students will develop a poster, intended for the general public, that clearly communicates the ecological significance of the species and conservation strategies.
    • Posters may be displayed in class or on the course site.

    Review Questions

    1. What are some anthropogenic causes of nonhuman primate endangerment and extinction?
    2. What are the most impactful ways humans can protect nonhuman primate species?
    3. Discuss nonhuman primate conservation efforts and their importance.

    Adapting for Online Learning

    If this is an in-person lab, rank how adaptable to online learning it would be (mark in bold):

    Tip: For online courses, students can create a poster to display on the course page.

    References

    Dinsmore, Mary P., Ilianna E. Anise, Rebekah J. Ellis, Amanda J. Hardie, Jacob B. Kraus, and Karen B. Strier. 2019. “Appendix B: Primate Conservation.” In Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology, edited by Beth Shook, Katie Nelson, Kelsie Aguilera, and Lara Braff. Arlington, VA: American Anthropological Association. http://explorations.americananthro.org/

    Global Wildlife Conservation. https://www.globalwildlife.org/project/primates/

    International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?taxonomies=100091&searchType=species

    Primate Specialist Group of the IUCN. http://www.primate-sg.org

    Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. https://primate.wisc.edu/primate-info-net/

    Primate Conservation Worksheet

    Instructions

    In this activity, you will conduct research about a nonhuman primate species that faces the threats of endangerment or extinction. Many of these threats are anthropogenic (human originated) ones, such as hunting, poaching, deforestation, and global warming. To select a species, refer to the IUCN Red List (link below) or Appendix B. After selecting a species, you will conduct web-based research, focusing on:

    1. the species’ main physical and behavioral characteristics;
    2. its habitat and role(s) within the local ecology;
    3. specific anthropogenic threats to its survival;
    4. steps humans can take to protect the species.

    Based on this research, you will create a public poster that clearly communicates information about the species, its ecological niche, its endangerment, and what humans can do to help. Your poster should be visually appealing and understandable to a layperson.

    The following websites are useful starting points for your research:

    International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Search this site by the Order (Primate) and select a species to learn about the population, habitat and ecology, threats, and conservation actions.

    The IUCN Primate Specialist Group is comprised of primatologists and conservationists. Their website houses useful resources about endangered nonhuman primates. “Primates in Peril” (found under “Special Reports”) includes past and current reports about the most endangered species.

    Wisconsin National Primate Research Center: Primate Info Net. This website provides links to research about nonhuman primates and conservation efforts. The “Primate Factsheets” include information about specific species and their evolution, ecology, behavior, and conservation status.

    Global Wildlife Conservation is dedicated to research and activism to preserve wildlands and wildlife. A section of its website focuses on endangered nonhuman primates, particularly the red colobus monkeys, lemurs of Madagascar, and Atlantic Forest primates of Brazil.

    This page titled 17.2: Appendix B- Primate Conservation is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lara Braff via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.