This List of Endangered Monkeys Highlights the Need for Conservation

We seldom think about monkeys when we talk about endangered animals, but one look at this list of endangered monkeys and you will be surprised to see the number of species that are fighting for their very existence on the planet.

A ‘Critical’ Situation

Of the 80 monkey species that are considered endangered, 28 are enlisted as critically endangered, meaning they face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.

As many as 80 species of monkeys are threatened by extinction as of today, and yet, these primates fail to make it to the headlines like tigers or rhinos. To some extent, this can be attributed to the fact that there are numerous species (and subspecies) of monkeys. In fact, most people may not even be aware of the existence of some of these monkey species.

There are approximately 260 known species of monkeys in the world, which are classified into two groups: (i) New World monkeys, found in Central and South America and parts of Mexico, and (ii) Old World monkeys, found in Africa and Asia. While some species are found in abundance in their natural habitat, some are more often seen in the list of critically endangered and endangered species compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

IUCN Classification

On the basis of the relative risk of extinction, the IUCN classifies threatened species into different categories.

• Critically endangered species (CR): Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild
• Endangered species (EN): Very high risk of extinction in the wild
• Vulnerable (VU): High risk of extinction in the wild*

*The species enlisted as vulnerable are the ones that are likely to become endangered.

List of Endangered Monkeys

Barbary Macaque – Endangered

Celebes Crested Macaque – Critically Endangered

Colombian Spider Monkey – Critically Endangered

Cotton-top Tamarin – Critically Endangered

Gee's Golden Langur – Endangered

Geoffroy's Spider Monkey – Endangered

Golden-headed Lion Tamarin – Endangered

Zanzibar Red Colobus – Endangered

Toque Macaque – Endangered

Red-shanked Douc – Endangered

Lion-tailed Macaque – Endangered

Proboscis Monkey – Endangered

CR: Critically Endangered

EN: Endangered

Vulnerable Species

Like we said earlier, those species that are likely to become endangered are classified as vulnerable species. Sadly, the list of vulnerable monkeys is nearly as long as that of the endangered species. So, if proper conservation measures are not implemented at the earliest, the list of endangered species will become twice as long in the near future.

Why Are Monkeys Endangered?

Of late, environmentalists have noticed that the population of quite a few species is on a decline. What is more disturbing is the rate at which their number has been declining over the last decade or so. In most cases, the decline can be primarily attributed to the following factors.

Excessive Hunting

Several monkey species, including the Roloway and Pennant’s Red Colobus found in Africa, are excessively hunted for their meat. On the other hand, species like the Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus and Mt. Uarges Guereza―a subspecies of Mantled Guereza―are hunted extensively for their skin, which has a great demand in the international market.

Loss of Habitat

Human encroachment has resulted in destruction of habitat for several monkey species. Illegal logging, land clearance for agriculture, expanding human settlements, and other such factors are causing their natural habitat to deplete at an alarming rate. While habitat loss leaves them homeless and vulnerable, fragmentation of habitat makes it difficult for them to breed.

Other Factors

It may come as a surprise, but the practice of killing monkeys for the use of their various body parts in traditional medicine continues unabated even today. Also on rise is the practice of keeping them as pets. In a bid to capture these monkeys for pet trade, hunters use snares, which leave them injured―if not trapped, eventually resulting in their death.

Going by the rate at which this list is growing, it wouldn’t be long before we witness many more extinctions. If the aforementioned factors responsible for the decline in monkey population are not curbed soon, these species, which feature in the endangered monkeys list as of today, will soon be added to the list of the extinct animals, thus leaving the planet devoid of some of the most interesting members of kingdom Animalia.