News and Links
Drawing by Stephan Nash
Miss Waldroni's red colobus, which is illustrated in the above drawing, has been declared extinct by researchers who have repeatedly looked for this endangered subspecies for the past several years. Extinction is difficult to prove absolutely, not finding something doesn't necessary mean it isn't there. But PCI funded researcher Dr. Scott McGraw believes there is no hope that this red colobus still exists in any forest it from which it was historically known to inhabit in Ghana and Ivory Coast. The major cause of its demise is the commercial hunting of primates and other wildlife for meat to be sold in local towns as well as urban area. There are several protected areas in which Miss Waldroni's was known to exist 10 to 20 years ago. Lack of effective law enforcement to protect endangered species within these protected areas is the reason this extinction happened. Sadly this maybe the first of many primates species we will never know or see as the exploding world population of humans destroys wildlife for food and profit.
Though PCI funded several surveys to find this species in hopes it could be saved, all we can say now is we must do better for the other more then 100 threatened and endangered monkeys and apes. Will you help us?
The following are links to the news stories about this extinction. The original story appeared September 12, 2000.
African monkey is pronounced extinct (CNN, September
12, 2000)
http://www.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/09/12/extinct.monkey.ap/index.html
Other Primate Related Links
African Wildlife and Conservation
Resources
http://www.africanwildliferesources.org
is a new comprehensive resource on African wildlife, its
environment and conservation. Forest Conservation Portal at http://forests.org/
The Forest Conservation Portal provides rainforest, forest
and biodiversity conservation news & information, including the ability to
fully search reviewed forest conservation information on the Internet. The
mission of Forests.org is to contribute to ending deforestation, preserving
old-growth forests, conserving all forests, maintaining climatic systems and
commencing the age of ecological restoration.
Bioko Primate Research A small island of Central West Africa and the research on the primates that inhabit it.
The Primate Information Network The most complete site for information on primates and primatologist including a jobs listing.
International Primate Protection League A web site dedicated to protecting primates from illegal smuggling and also a sanctuary for gibbons located in South Carolina.
Orangutan Conservation Websites The
Orangutan Network's IDP Entry:
http://www.orangutannetwork.net
Orangutan Foundation International
http://www.orangutan.org
Balikpapan Orangutan Society - U.S.A.
http://www.orangutan.com
South Indian Primate Research Academy - Endangered primates of South India including the Lion Tailed macaque Macaca silenus
Information for those interested in knowing more about what life in the field is like for a primatologist. http://php.indiana.edu/~kdhunt/home.html
The Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park Web
site. www.wcs-congo.org This
park in
Congo was created in 1993 by the Congolese government to conserve the forests of
north. This web site includes information on all aspects of the Park, from
research and conservation to the wildlife you can see there.
Save The Primates - Creating Awareness & Support
for Endangered Primates
http://www.save-the-primates.org.au
Promoting
awareness about endangered primates, raising funds for primate conservation
& wildlife sanctuaries projects.
For Children a Downloadable Primate Coloring Book
The Zoo Outreach Organisation of India has
produced a 24 page downloadable PDF coloring book for children illustrating the
primates of the Indian Subcontinent. It is a free download but they would
appreciate your donation which will help them spread their conservation
messages. Vernon Kisling Secretary/Treasurer Zoo Outreach Organisation 120 NE
2nd Avenue PO Box No.1511, High Springs FL 32655-1511 vkisling@ufl.edu
http://www.southasianprimatenetwork.org/pdf/Primate
Coloring book
Links to Web sites about other endangered species
World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Information about all endangered plants and animals
www.redlist.org Searchable database listing all the threatened species of the world according the IUCN.
The best place to find out more about gibbons, see photos and get to hear their beautiful calls. http://www.gibbons.de.
Research and conservation of the Gibbons of Indonesia. http://www.indonesiangibbons.blogspot.com
National Parks in India. http://www.wild-india.com/NationalParksIndia/ provides information on national parks in India including ecotourism and information on wildlife protection and endangered Indian wildlife.
Endangered Species International www.endangeredspeciesinternational.org
LEGISLATIVE WATCH
How to find out about what Congress is doing that effects wildlife and the environment. Your letters, faxes, phone calls or emails count!
NRDC Updates on current Congressional bills about the environment so that you can inform your congressperson about your opinion : the Bulletin on Environmental Legislation from Natural Resources Defense Council. Call Congress for FREE! Capitol Switchboard (800) 962-3524
Rainforest Action Network Home Page - Action Alerts that inform you about how you can help save rainforest.
The Audubon Advisory - Updates on environmental legislation in Congress Congressional E-Mail addresses. How to find your representatives address
CONSERVATION DATABASE for Lorises (Loris, Nycticebus) and Pottos (Arctocebus, Perodicticus), Prosimian Primates
Eco-Portal - the EnvironmentalSustainability.Info Source. The Eco-portal is a comprehensive environmental resource, linking and providing full text search capabilities for the entire contents of over 3,000 reviewed Internet sites related to environmental sustainability. The site tracks the latest environmental news stories.
The African Conservation Foundation
www.africanconservation.org
Lemurs of Madagascar (www.tsidy.com).
Lemurs of Madagascar contains detailed information about all (sub)species and
higher taxa of Malagasy primates. The ultimate place to learn more about
endangered lemurs of Madagascar and lemur conservation
Saveordelete.com Information from Greenpeace UK about illegal logging in Indonesia.
A Vacation Suggestion to Help Conservation by Studying Howler
Monkeys in Argentina:
Profuana's Volunteer Research Program would like you to join a team working on the role of the black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) in the
regeneration of the gallery forests in Argentina. For more details visit http://www.profauna.org.ar or contact Paula Echániz Volunteer Research
Program Coordinator Organización
PROFAUNA AV.Corrientes 1145, 4º 47, (1043)
Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
e-mail: paulaEchaniz@profauna.org.ar
Illegal Trade Hotline
The United States Department of Agriculture
has a hotline number 1800 877 3835 and website www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/trade
for anyone with information about people illegally transporting or trade of
plants or animals in the US
Find out about what you can do to help stop global climate change at
http://www.zeroyourcarbon.com.au
The Endangered Species Coalition is an organization dedicated to strengthening the Endangered Species Act.
http://www.stopextinction.org/site/c.epIQKXOBJsG/b.704799/k.CCB4/Home.htm
The Alliance for Zero Extinction (AZE), a global initiative of biodiversity conservation organizations, aims to prevent extinctions by identifying and safeguarding key sites where species are in imminent danger of disappearing. The goal of the Alliance is to create a front line of defense against extinction by eliminating threats and restoring habitat to allow species populations to rebound.
http://www.zeroextinction.org/
WildlifeDirect was established to provide support to these conservationists via the use of blogs – this enables anybody, anywhere to play a direct and interactive role in the survival of some of the world’s most precious species. We believe that the Internet provides an unprecedented means of bringing the remarkable efforts of these dedicated people to the attention of the world. WildlifeDirect takes no administration fee for the funds that are transferred through us so that the financial support can go to where it was intended in its entirety. http://www.wildlifedirect.org/
Conservation Education Links and Suggested Reading
The following link is a great reference for people doing conservation education projects. The final chapter of the book has to do with evaluating the success of an education project. We highly recommend this book for people you are planning to apply for a grant to PCI that includes conservation education component.
Interpreting
Biodiversity: A Manual for Environmental Educators in the Tropics.
1999
Available in English, French, and Spanish 1999 /
186 pages; 81/2 x 11 spiral-bound paperback.
Outlines the basic building blocks for an interpretive program on biodiversity,
including principles of exhibit design, interpretive presentations, community
outreach programs, and evaluation. Designed especially for educators and
resource managers in tropical countries where the world's biodiversity is
richest and most threatened, the illustrated manual offers a variety of ideas
for getting started, describes successful interpretive activities, and lists
resources for further information.
The manual is also available as a free
PDF downloadable file.
If you are unable to down load this chapter or book, please email the director at nrowe@primate.org and he will email you a copy.
PCI recommends the following articles for people doing conservation education projects.
Jacobson, Susan K. 1997. Rapid Assessment for Conservation Education (RACE). The Journal of Environmental Education 28(3): 10-19
Jacobson, Susan K. 1987. Conservation Education Programs: Evaluate and Improve Them. Environmental Conservation 14(3): 201-206
Jacobson, Susan K. [Ed.]. Conserving wildlife: international education and communication approaches. Columbia University Press. New York. 1995: i-xxxi, 1-302. Chapter pagination: 263-275.
Conservation Graduate programs
Master
Program in Primate Conservation
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/studying/courses/postgraduate/2008/pc
Masters Primate Biology and Conservation
http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/pg/pbc/
Master’s program in International Nature
Conservation.
www.uni-goettingen.de/minc
Ecotourism opportunity
To Find out about how you can personally
help study lemurs in Madagascar or
other primates in other places go to Earthwatch's web site at
http://www.earthwatch.org/expeditions/wright.html
World Primate Safaris is a travel agency that specializes in taking people to see great apes and other primates in their natural habitat. Contact Will Bolsover in the UK. Tel: +44(0)208 7403350 Fax: +44(0)208 740 3350 website www.worldprimatesafaris.com email sales@worldprimatesafaris.com