An Introduction to Primate Conservation

Abstract

Abstract The number of primates on the brink of extinction continues to grow due to threats such as habitat loss, hunting, and disease. The need to respond with effective conservation measures has therefore never been greater. This edited book brings together an international team of contributing authors with wide-ranging expertise to provide a comprehensive synthesis of current research principles and management practices in primate conservation. The chapters are grouped into three sections: background and conceptual issues, threats, and solutions. In the first section, the authors consider why we should conserve primates, summarize the conservation status of primates, discuss species concepts and their relevance to conservation, review primate conservation genetics, and describe primate abundance and distributions. The second section includes discussion of threats from habitat destruction and degradation, primate trade, hunting, infectious diseases, and climate change. The third section considers solutions to primate conservation challenges from several perspectives: protected areas, landscape mosaics, human-primate conflict, reintroduction, ecosystem services, and evidence-based conservation. The book concludes with consideration of some future directions for primate conservation research.