© K. Yoganand/WWF-Greater Mekong
Primates of the Greater Mekong: Status, Threats and Conservation Efforts
A remarkable 44 species of primates call the Greater Mekong home, with 19 species endemic to the region and some existing in only one country or a small part of a landscape.

But many of these species are severely threatened by habitat degradation and hunting driven by trade and consumption for meat and traditional medicine. A quarter of the species in the region are classified as Critically Endangered, and about half are Endangered in the IUCN Red List. In the latest Red List assessments, a quarter of the primate species in the region showed increased extinction risk compared to previous assessments, while the the rest showed no reduction in extinction risk.  Urgent and targeted conservation efforts must be taken to protect the incredible diversity of primates in the Greater Mekong.

WWF
null
© WWF-Greater Mekong

WWF and other conservation organisations, government agencies and local communities are working constantly to protect these unique species from disappearing - by conducting surveys in protected areas, monitoring and protecting key primate populations, disarming snares, rescuing and rehabilitating primates from the wildlife trade for reintroduction to the wild, and running ecotourism ventures that allow people to learn more about primates in a safe way while providing livelihood opportunities for local communities.

© Adam Oswell / WWF-Thailand

Primates of the Greater Mekong Report