SAY GOODBYE... THESE PRIMATES WILL SOON BE EXTINCT

ENDANGERED: The grey-shanked douc langur

Wednesday August 6,2008

By Nicola McCafferty for express.co.uk

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(3)

THEY are some of the most beautiful and exotic creatures on planet Earth.

But soon you will no longer be able to find them swinging from trees in a Madagascan rainforest.

Sadly around half of the world's population of these fascinating primates are under threat of exctinction - and it's all our fault.

Humans are destroying the lush tropical homes of these fascinating creatures and hunting them for food and the illegal wildlife trade.

*** PICTURE GALLERY: SEE THE AMAZING PRIMATES FACING EXTINCTION ***

Qinling golden monkey of China

Monkeys, lemurs and apes are just some of the 300 types of primates on Earth who are in severe danger of disappearing if no action is taken to save them, according to the latest Red List of Threatened Species.

Jean-Christophe Vie, deputy head of the IUCN Species Programme, said the situation in south-east Asia was “terrifying”.

“To have a group of animals under such a high level of threat is, quite frankly, unlike anything we have recorded among any other group of species to date.”

The Red List found that a staggering 70 per cent of primates in Asia were in some way threatened with extinction, while a catastophic 90 per cent of species in Vietnam and Cambodia were at risk - largely because they are hunted for ingredients for Chinese medicine.

In Africa, the red colobus monkey was found to be particularly at risk, with 11 of the 13 different kinds listed as critically endangered or endangered.

Russell Mittermeier, from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said: “Tropical forest destruction has always been the main cause, but now it appears that hunting is just as serious a threat in some areas, even where the habitat is still quite intact.

“In many places, primates are quite literally being eaten to extinction.”

*** PICTURE GALLERY: SEE THE AMAZING PRIMATES FACING EXTINCTION ***

WE WILL HAVE TO WATCH AND WAIT

06.08.08, 6:41am

I am getting old, and have seen the massive extinction of many of our wonderful species dying out. When I was a kid we use to watch in amazement when swarms of stalins and other birds use to collect like rain clouds in the sky, just before migrating. Now nothing. My wife comes from Thailand, and there has been a noticeable decline in many species. The destruction of the planets wild life is only a prelude, to what is coming. The final destruction of mankind. Our kind should never be put in charge of any other planet. We seem to have this self distruct button. If there is a God, he the only one who can help us.

• Posted by: expatpete60 • Report Comment

GET THE PRIORITIES RIGHT (FOR ONCE)

05.08.08, 10:21pm

The treatment of all animals by man has long upset me..
how can the " Greens" justify destroying the forests to save the planet... with all these beautiful creatures plus elephants, wild cats whales dolphins etc etc wiped out what is worth saving?

I also agree about the animal testing the excuses used is the biggest load of crap I have heard
All the murderers and child molesters should have these medicines etc trialled on them... make them useful for something

Save these creatures while there is still time

Considering the biggest contributer of methane is the worlds oceans ... What are they going to do ? pull the plug

FOR GOODNESS SAKES GET THE PRIORITIES RIGHT WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME !!!!!

• Posted by: Anni • Report Comment

IT IS POINTLESS TO LAMENT THE PRIMATES' EXTINCTION WHEN YOU REMAIN SILENT AND DO NOTHING ABOUT THE LEGION OF PRIMATES WHO DIE IN EXPERIMENTS EVERY DAY

05.08.08, 8:20pm

Of what use is the plaintive article about the extinction of "some of the most beautiful and exotic creatures on Earth" when you obviously turn a blind ear and deaf ear to the plight of primates who suffer in horrific experiments in the UK. Apparently, there is an individous distinction here.

Those not among the most beautiful and exotic can go to hell. They do, but not before enduring a living hell.

If you must weep all over your typeset, weep for them.

• Posted by: Pendragon • Report Comment