Help Rescue Primates from Illegal Trafficking

Thank you for donating to this important project - your support has helped make our Primate Rescue Project the #1 ranked project on GlobalGiving!  With less than 7 days to reach our goal, we hope you'll consider sharing our project with your friends or making another small gift to protect, conserve, and save endangered primates in Cambodia!

This week we would like to highlight one of the lesser known monkeys that need your help. While there are some macaque populations that are increasing due to a lack of top predators, the pig-tailed macaque is not one of them. Listed on the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable, their populations are declining at over 30% over three generations, and it is predicted that they will continue to decline at this rate or higher. Disappearing throughout much of their original range, Cambodia is one of the few countries where a significant population still exists, and Wildlife Alliance is fighting to keep it this way.

The pig-tailed macaque is a more nomadic species than other macaques, often traveling through the forest in large groups. They are excellent climbers and live in various tropical and coastal forests. They feed mainly on fruits and seeds, however they will also eat leaves, flowers and small animals. They live in troops of 15-40 individuals and maintain a matrilineal hierarchy. Although habitat loss is a major threat to this species, they are also widely hunted and traded. These highly intelligent animals are cruelly exploited in the pet and tourism industry, as well as illegally sold into medical research. While not as colorful or “exotic” as other species of primates, these clever monkeys are often considered a nuisance, leaving few supporters willing to fight for them. The Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team (WRRT), however, does not discriminate. Since 2001, these dedicated wildlife heroes have rescued over 150 pig-tailed macaques, and with your help we can prevent the further decline of this species. Help the WRRT continue its impactful and determined work to save primates across Cambodia. Stand up for some of the less popular animals today!

These strikingly beautiful primates are old world colobine monkeys that are found only in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. Listed by the IUCN as Endangered, they are social animals that spend their lives in trees. Douc langurs feed primarily on leaves, but also eat some seeds, fruits and flowers. They are very picky about the species and age of their food, and often die in captivity due to gastric distress. Their highly specialized nutrition and habitat requirements make them extremely habitat dependent.

There are 634 species and subspecies of primates in the world, from humans and apes to monkeys and prosimians. These incredible animals are known to show a range of emotion, have opposable thumbs, use tools and have complex, species-specific social behaviors. People are often fascinated by these diverse, highly intelligent, social creatures, because so much of our own behavior and evolution is reflected in them. Sadly the future of mankind’s closest relatives is uncertain. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 48% percent of all primate species are threatened, and over 70% of Asian primates are facing extinction. Cambodia ranks number 5 in the world for the highest percentage of threatened primate species per country. Nine out of the 10 primate species in Cambodia are listed as either Endangered or Threatened.

Unfortunately, hunting and habitat destruction is pushing primates like the douc langur to extinction. Poached for their use in traditional medicine and the illegal pet trade, doucs and other Asian primates are rapidly disappearing. However, while these numbers are scary, there is one dedicated team fighting to reverse this trend. Since 2001, the Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team (WRRT) has been working arduously to rescue primates and halt the illegal wildlife and pet trade. They have rescued over 2,500 gibbons, langurs, macaques and lorises. Last year alone, the team rescued 85 live primates from 8 different species, including this black-shanked douc langur that was safely returned to the forest.

As the last line of defense, the WRRT’s presence in Cambodia is critical to the survival of this threatened species. It costs the team approximately $500 to conduct a rescue operation. This consists of gathering information from various intelligence networks, conducting the undercover investigation, saving the animals, and providing care to rescued wildlife during transit to a release site or to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center.

Thank you for making a gift and helping the Primate Rescue Project be a top project on GlobalGiving. With only 23 days left to reach our goal, we hope you will take advantage of this year's biggest Bonus Day and make your gift go further! On July 15th, donations of up to $1,000 made through GlobalGiving will be matched at 50%. With your help, we can stop Cambodia's endangered primates from being hunted to extinction before it's too late!

Mark your calendars for July 15th and don't forget to share this great opportunity with your friends!