Primate Conservation 73Because of their vulnerability, the conservation of pri-
mates has become a matter of urgency. Traditional conser-
vation efforts have emphasized habitat preservation above
all else, but primatologists are now expanding their efforts
to include educating local communities and discouraging
the hunting of primates for food and medical purposes.
Some primatologists are even looking for alternative eco-
nomic strategies for local peoples so that human and pri-
mate populations can return to the successful coexistence
that prevailed before colonialism and globalization con-
tributed to the destabilization of tradition homelands. This
chapter’s Anthropology Applied looks at these economic
development efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In direct conservation efforts, primatologists work to
maintain some populations in the wild, either by estab-
lishing preserves where animals are already living or by
moving populations to suitable habitats. These approaches
require constant monitoring and management to ensure
that sufficient space and resources remain available. As
humans encroach on primate habitats, translocation of
primates to protected areas is an viable strategy for pri-
mate conservation, and the field studies by primatologists
for such relocations are invaluable.
For example, when the troop of free-ranging baboons
that primatologist Shirley Strum had been studying for
fifteen years in Kenya began raiding people’s crops and
garbage on newly established farms, she was instrumen-
tal in successfully moving this troop and two other local
troops—130 animals in all—to more sparsely inhabited
country 150 miles away. Knowing their habits, Strum was
able to trap, tranquilize, and transport the animals to their
new home while preserving the baboons’ vital social rela-
tionships. Strum’s careful work allowed for a smooth tran-
sition. With social relations intact, the baboons did not
abandon their new homes nor did they block the transfer
of new males, with their all-important knowledge of local
resources, into the troop. The success of her effort, which
had never been tried with baboons, proves that transloca-
tion is a realistic technique for saving endangered primate
species. However, this conservation effort depends first on
available land, where preserves can be established to pro-
vide habitats for endangered primates.
A second strategy has been developed to help primates
that have been illegally trapped—either for market as pets
or for biomedical research. This approach involves return-
ing these recovered animals to their natural habitats. Re-
searchers have established orphanages in which specially
trained human substitute mothers support the young pri-
mates so that they can gain enough social skills to return
to living with their own species.
A third strategy to preventing primate extinction is to
maintain breeding colonies in captivity. These colonies
encourage psychological and physical well- being, as well
as reproductive success. Primates in zoos and laborato-
ries do not successfully reproduce when deprived of such
amenities as opportunities for climbing, materials for nest
building, others with whom to socialize, and places for
privacy. While such features contribute to the success of
breeding colonies in captivity, ensuring the survival of our
primate cousins in suitable natural habitats is a far greater
challenge that humans must meet in the years to come.
The good news is the results of conservation efforts are
beginning to show. For example, due to intense conserva-
tion programs, the population size of the mountain go-
rilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) is increasing, even with the
political chaos of Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic
Republic of Congo. Western lowland gorilla populations
(Gorilla gorilla) are also on the rise. Similarly, tamarin
monkey populations in Brazil have stabilized despite be-
ing on the brink of extinction thirty years ago, demon-
strating the effectiveness of the conservation initiatives
put into place. According to primatologist Sylvia Atsalis,
“The presence alone of scientists has been shown to pro-
tect primates, acting as a deterrent to habitat destruction
and hunting. The more people we can send, the more we
can help to protect endangered primates.”^7Because of their exceptional beauty, golden lion tamarin monkeys
(or golden marmosets) have been kept as pets since colonial times.
More recently, they have also been threatened by development, as
they reside in the tropical forest habitats around the popular tourist
destination of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A major conservation effort, ini-
tiated in the 1980s to save these monkeys, included planting wildlife
corridors to connect the remaining forest patches and releasing ani-
mals bred in captivity into these newly created environments. Today
live wild births have increased steadily, and the golden lion tamarin
population is recovering from the threat of extinction.© Martin Bennett/Alamy(^7) Ibid.