In May 2025, Gland(Switzerland) based Primate Specialist Group (PSG) of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Special Survival Commission (SSC) in collaboration with Louisiana, the United States of America(USA) based International Primatological Society(IPS) and Texas(USA) based Re:wild, has released 12th edition of the report titled “Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates 2023 – 2025” , which has listed species across Asia, Africa, Madagascar and South America region.
- The 2023-25 report’s list has 6 species from across Africa, 4 from Madagascar, 9 from Asia, and 6 from Neotropics (Central & South America).
- The Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), found in Cameroon and Nigeria, and the Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis), found in Sumatra (Indonesia) are among the top 25 most endangered primates list.
Note: Primates are an order of Mammals like apes, monkeys that have grasping hands and feet, and a large brain relative to their body size.
About World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates report:
The biennial report, World’s 25 most endangered primates, is the widely recognized of the surveys and publications of PSG. The list is reviewed at Open meetings during the congresses of the IPS that are held every two years.
- 67 primates have been listed since 2000, which was the first edition of the report.
Highlights of the Report:
i.15 of the primates listed in the report 2023-25 were not listed on the previous report 2022-23 list.
ii.8 Primates such as Sahafray Sportive Lemur, Red-bellied Monkey, Northern Pygmy Slow Loris, Myanmar Snub-nosed Monkey, Bornean Banded Langur, Central American Squirrel Monkey have been listed for the first time
iii.9 Primates such as Red Ruffed Lemur, Cross River Gorilla, Pig-tailed Snub-nosed Langur, Cao-vit Gibbon, Olalla Brothers’ Titi, Peruvian Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey, Variegated Spider Monkey, Caatinga Titi Monkey and Pied Tamarin were listed on previous iterations but were subsequently removed to call attention to other highly threatened species.
iv.2 Primates such as Phayre’s Langur (Northeast India) and the Western Hoolock Gibbon (Bangladesh), were among species considered but did not enter the final list.
- As per the report, Phayre’s Langur (Trachypithecus phayrei) is one of the least-studied Asian colobines or leaf-eating monkeys. Its distribution was recently restricted to eastern Bangladesh, Northeastern India and western Myanmar.
iv.Two primate species native to Northeast India and Bangladesh: Phayre’s Langur and the Western Hoolock Gibbon, were shortlisted for the final list but ultimately did not make the cut.
- The species has been listed as ‘Endangered’ for two decades on the IUCN Red list of Threatened Species.
The report categorizes the 25 most endangered primates by region:
List of Endangered Primates in Asia:
| S.No | Animal Names | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern Pygmy Slow Loris | China, Lao PDR, Vietnam |
| 2 | Sangihe Island Tarsier | Indonesia (Sulawesi) |
| 3 | Cat Ba Langur | Vietnam |
| 4 | Pig-tailed Snub-nosed Langur | Indonesia (Mentawai Islands) |
| 5 | Myanmar Snub-nosed Monkey | China, Myanmar |
| 6 | Raffles’ Banded Langur | Malaysia, Singapore |
| 7 | Bornean Banded Langur | Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia |
| 8 | Cao-Vit Gibbon | China, Vietnam |
| 9 | Tapanuli Orangutan | Indonesia (Sumatra Island) |
List of Endangered Primates in Africa:
| S.No | Animal Names | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rondo Dwarf Galago | Tanzania |
| 2 | Golden-bellied Mangabey | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| 3 | Southern Patas Monkey | Tanzania |
| 4 | Red-bellied Monkey | Benin, Nigeria, Togo |
| 5 | Niger Delta Red Colobus | Nigeria |
| 6 | Cross River Gorilla | Cameroon, Nigeria. |
List of Endangered Primates in Madagascar:
| S.No | Animal Names | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madame Berthe’s Mouse Lemur | Madagascar |
| 2 | Sahafary Sportive Lemur | Madagascar |
| 3 | Coquerel’s Giant Mouse Lemur | Madagascar |
| 4 | Red Ruffed Lemur | Madagascar |
List of Endangered Primates in Neotropics (Central & South America):
| S.No | Animal Names | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olalla Brothers’ Titi | Bolivia |
| 2 | Caatinga or Blond Titi Monkey | Brazil |
| 3 | Pied Tamarin | Brazil |
| 4 | Central American Squirrel Monkey | Costa Rica, Panama |
| 5 | Peruvian Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey | Peru |
| 6 | Variegated Spider Monkey | Colombia, Venezuela |
About Primate Special Group (PSG):
PSG is a network of scientists and conservationists who stand against the tide of extinction which threatens humanity’s closest kin.
- PSG is a member of the IUCN’s Species Survival Commission (SSC)
About IUCN SSC:
IUCN SSC is a network of volunteer experts that plays a vital role in providing information to IUCN on biodiversity conservation.
- It also works to develop policies, guidelines and conservation plans to promote biodiversity.
About International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN):
Chief Executive Officer(CEO) – Bruno Oberle
Headquarters – Gland, Switzerland
Established – 1948
