Primate Conservation and Commodity Life Cycle Analysis

Michelle Y. Merrill, Ph.D.

Commodities pre-test:

1. Rank these commodities from worst (most harmful=1) to best (least harmful=4) in terms of their impact on non-human primates:

A. Paper napkins

B. Processed peanut butter

C. Poached primates

D. Phones

Commodities pre-test (ct’d):

2. What criteria did you use to rank them?

3. What else would you want to know?

Sumatran Orangutans: Pongo abelii

Tool Use and Social Learning in Orangutans

Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii)extracting seeds from the fruit of Neesia sp.

http://www.cabrillo.edu/associations/climate/curriculum/MusaAti.wmv

IncreasedSocial Tolerance

IncreasedSocial Tolerance

Larger Repertoireof AdaptiveBehaviors

Larger Repertoireof AdaptiveBehaviors

ReducedCompetition

for Resources

ReducedCompetition

for Resources

More Timein ProximityMore Time

in Proximity

more chancesto learn any

new behavior

more chancesto learn any

new behavior

More DiverseSocial PartnersMore Diverse

Social Partners

more potentialinnovators to

observe

more potentialinnovators to

observe

Meanwhile, at Suaq Balimbing…

http://www.cabrillo.edu/associations/climate/curriculum/treecrash.wmv

Threats to PrimatesWhy are so many primates endangered?

• Habitat Destruction: Logging for timber,

pulp, firewood Conversion of forests

for farming• Subsistence• Market/Plantation

(esp. oil palm)

Wildfires Mining

Threats to PrimatesWhy are so many primates endangered?

• Poaching & Capture Bushmeat Accidental catch

(snares) Pet trade

Threats to PrimatesWhy are so many primates endangered?

• War Increased

poaching No patrols/

enforcement for protection

Often related to mining (e.g. diamonds, Coltan in Congo)