5/4 - Humans and other primates, Conservation

How has the human population changed over the last 12,000 years, and what is

predicted for the next 80 years? How are these changes related to biodiversity

conservation concerns?

What do the IUCN designations ‘critically endangered’, ‘endangered’, and

‘vulnerable’ mean? What fraction of primate species are threatened in at least one

of these ways?

Why is present day species loss considered a crisis?

What are the three major threats that primates face? Are all primates equally

affected? What influences their risk levels?

What is tropical rain forest and why is it important for primate (and general

biodiversity) conservation? Where are tropical rain forests located?

How well have forests been conserved in North America since the Europeans first

settled here in the early 17th century?

What are the two main sources of tropical rain forest destruction and degradation?

Assess (roughly) their relative importance. How do they differ across tropical

regions of the world? What more localized human activities lead to forest loss?

How does logging affect primate populations?

How does hunting affect primate populations? Why are primates hunted? In what

tropical regions are primates hunted the most/least? Which species are most at

risk? How does logging relate to hunting? To disease?

Why are protected areas (parks and reserves) not more successful in protecting the

world’s biodiversity?

What new technologies are enhancing conservation action? Give a few examples

What changes can people in countries with tropical rain forests make to encourage

conservation of the forests and their inhabitants? What changes can members of

industrialized nations make that will help?