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Half of the 634 known species of primates are in danger of extinction , according to a report released today by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, for its acronym in English). The study, carried out by 85 experts from around the world, includes a list of the 25 most threatened primates , of which five live in Madagascar, six in Africa, eleven in Asia and three in Central and South America.
Conservationists have drawn particular attention to the golden-headed langur ( Trachypithecus poliocephalus ), of which fewer than 70 individuals remain in Vietnam, as well as the only 110 black-crested gibbons ( Nomascus nasutus ) that survive in the same area. The Lepilemur septentrionalis of Madagascar is experiencing a similar situation.
In 2007, the IUCN reported that one in three species was threatened with extinction, and now, in 2010, the probability has increased to one in two. Experts hope that the measures discussed last year at the Copenhagen Climate Summit will help prevent deforestation of tropical forests, which would have? A huge benefit for the conservation of primates, "according to Christoph Schwitzer, co-author of the study.
