Colin Chapman: Primate conservation: Is the cup half empty or half full?

Of the nearly 600 species and subspecies of primates living today, approximately half are in danger of going extinct.  In fact, one subspecies in West Africa, Miss Waldron’s red colobus, is likely extinct.  Furthermore, the number of recognized threats to primate survival has increased dramatically over the last decade.  A decade ago, disease was not considered a factor that could threaten primate populations with extinction, while today there are a number of cases of dramatic primate population declines caused by disease and it is considered a vital factor in conservation planning.  Similarly, in the last decade climate change has gone from something largely ignored by many countries to a phenomenon of grave concern.  This lecture will discuss the current threats to primate populations, consider how perceptions of these threats have changed, and consider if the situation is hopelessly grave (the cup half empty) or if there are reasons for optimism (the cup half full).