Sadly the future of mankind's closest relatives is uncertain. Habitat destruction and the illegal wildlife trade are decimating primate populations globally. According to the IUCN, 48% percent of all primate species are threatened, and over 70% of Asian primates are facing extinction. In Cambodia, 9 out of the 10 primate species are either Endangered or Threatened. The situation maybe dire, but the Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team is actively fighting to protect these 10 species before it's too late.
Cambodia ranks #5 for the highest percentage of threatened primate species per country. These highly intelligent and social animals reflect so much of our own behavior and evolution, and the brutal wildlife trade is wiping them out before we get a chance to understand them. Entire families and troops are caught and kept in horrifying conditions in order to be sold as food or for lab testing. Infants are torn from their mothers and sold into the exotic pet trade, often beaten into submission.
Since 2001, the WRRT, a law enforcement squad devoted solely to combating the illegal wildlife trade, has rescued over 2,500 gibbons, macaques, langurs and lorises. In 2014, they rescued 85 live primates from 8 different species. However, the demand remains high and continued efforts are needed to ensure the long-term survival of primates in the region. $6,000 will help them research trade networks, conduct undercover investigations, and rescue and transport trafficked animals.
The WRRT's presence in Cambodia to rescue primates and halt the illegal wildlife and pet trade is critical. Every individual primate rescued is significant to the survival and continuation of the species. Rescued animals are rehabilitated by Wildlife Alliance at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center in spacious enclosures to facilitate natural behavior. Those that cannot survive in the wild are given a life-long home, however their offspring are candidates for future reintroduction into the wild.
