ABSTRACT
Nearly half of extant primate taxa (species, subspecies, populations) face extinction (Mittermeier et al. 2012). These mainly arboreal animals are highly susceptible to the rapid deforestation occurring in many parts of the world. Extinction begins with a decline in numbers that makes a population more vulnerable to random demographic and environmental fluctuations. Reduced genetic diversity leads to inbreeding depression and reduced adaptability. Declining numbers can also disrupt social organization, an effect of great importance to most primates. Mammal studies show that some common primate traits are associated with high vulnerability: (1) unusually large or small body size; (2) long generation time; and (3) high reproductive skew. Relatively slow reproductive rates mean lower probability of recovery from population decline. This chapter begins with general problems in primate conservation and then considers issues that vary by taxa. Finally, it samples some of the solutions so far.
