Nearly half the world's primate species are in danger of extinction, according to a report released Wednesday by a major conservation group.

The main threat facing primates -- including apes, monkeys, and lemurs -- is tropical forest destruction, with the illegal wildlife trade and commercial bush meat hunting also playing roles.

Scientists say primates are humankind's closest animal relatives.

Of the world's 634 primate species, 48 percent are threatened with extinction, according to the report, issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The Switzerland-based group calls itself the world's oldest global environmental organization.

"This report makes for very alarming reading," said Christoph Schwitzer, an adviser to the group, in a statement. "Support and action to help save these species is vital if we are to avoid losing these wonderful animals forever."

A handful of primate species count populations in the dozens. For example, there are just 60 to 70 Asian monkeys known as golden headed langurs, found only on an island in Vietnam's Gulf of Tonkin.

There are fewer than 100 remaining northern sportive lemurs, which live in Madagascar, and around 110 eastern black crested gibbons, found in northeastern Vietnam.

The report, which details the 25 most endangered primates, has been issued biannually by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2000. It will be formally released Thursday at Britain's Bristol Zoo Gardens.

extremist political environmentalist groups like the IUCN as sources for their .

links/evidence?

Seriously? You don't know this group? Can't/won't google them yourself?

They are affiliated with the UN, have been around since 1948, and their entire purpose for existence is political activism for habitat preservation. Using them for the basis of a story about habitat-based extinction is like citing PETA for the nutritional pitfalls of eating red meat, or the AFL-CIO on the benefits of unionization.

To their credit, however, they were one of the groups that came out and ripped the Global Warming data, and declared it an over-hyped threat.

It doesn't mean a lot for someone like you, notoriously leaning conservative to blast an organization with a decidedly liberal movement. It is difficult to tell, without links or evidence if there is a legitimate gripe to be had or if it's just ETC being ETC. About as meaningful as...well...hearing PETA talk about the nutritional pitfals of eating red meat.

Nice attack. A challenged little boy with nothing to add but whining. My bad for engaging you in the first place. I have to remember who I'm dealing with. Carry on with your train set, junior.

Nice attack. A challenged little boy with nothing to add but whining. My bad for engaging you in the first place. I have to remember who I'm dealing with. Carry on with your train set, junior.

The polar bear population is increasing, not decreasing. That hoax was exposed awhile ago.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladni ... ent-truths

Ahh...the IUCN...the same group that presented the species on the "climate change hitlist" to Copenhagen.

That was a fine list of cute, cuddly and magnificent animals.

Not only do they not question AGW, they firmly assert CO2 is the culprit.
I never knew they employed so many climatologists.

oh...and..
Polar bears can't adapt to something that's been happening for roughly 12,000 years? Tough shit.

Not sure what newsbusters.org (sounds like a domain name targeted at reporting the contrary) is, but when multiple reputable sources say the populations are declining, I tend to believe them.

That said, I don't see that picture they're citing as one of polar bears in distress, as they swim and float on ice quite often.

That doesn't mean that the organizations that say the polar bears are in danger are incorrect.

Not sure what newsbusters.org (sounds like a domain name targeted at reporting the contrary) is, but when multiple reputable sources say the populations are declining, I tend to believe them.

Grab a clipboard, let's go count em.

The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ shows that 17,291 species out of the 47,677 assessed species are threatened with extinction.

The results confirm that 21% of all known mammals, 30% of all known amphibians, 12 per cent of all known birds and 32% of all known gymnosperms (conifers and cycads) are threatened with extinction. Results for other species-groups that have not yet been comprehensively assessed such as freshwater fishes and dragonflies, indicate similar high levels of threat

Are they tasty?

What's not good is CNN using extremist political environmentalist groups like the IUCN as sources for their reports.

That said, extinction is part of nature. If it wasn't, the earth would look a lot different today and we wouldn't be part of it.