Primate Conservation Biology

From the snub-nosed monkeys of China to the mountain gorillas of central Africa, our closest nonhuman relatives are in critical danger worldwide - nearly half of all the world's primates are threatened with extinction. In this book Guy Cowlishaw and Robin Dunbar integrate cutting-edge theoretical advances with practical management priorities to give scientists and policymakers the tools they need to help keep these species from disappearing forever. Primate Conservation Biology begins with detailed overviews of the diversity, life history, ecology, and behavior of primates and the ways these factors influence primate abundance, distribution, and population dynamics. Cowlishaw and Dunbar then discuss extinctions in fossil and living primate populations, with a special emphasis on factors that currently pose the greatest threat, namely habitat disturbance and hunting. The remaining chapters present a comprehensive review of conservation strategies and management practices, highlighting the key issues that must be addressed to protect primates for the future. Appendixes list primate species and their current conservation status as well as contact information for the major primate and conservation organizations.