Primate surveys and conservation assessments

Abstract

From first paragraph: The conservation of the world’s primates demands basic, but elusive and hard-to-get, information. Enormous efforts are underway to accumulate this information, and the fortuitous selection of six papers in this issue of Oryx illustrates these endeavours, each highlighting the sort of information needed. Besides a basic understanding of the diversity of primates, we need to know where they live (their geography and habitat requirements) and in what numbers. Only with such data is it possible to identify and evaluate the threats to their continued existence. Field research on particular aspects of primate ecology, behaviour, reproduction and demography provide an understanding of how primates respond to these threats and what conservation measures will be possible, effective and appropriate.