Two Brazilian monkeys among the world’s most endangered 6b6346

In the heart of Brazil’s biggest Amazonian capital, Manaus, the pied tamarin searches for remnants of forest amid the urban sprawl, clinging to survival. Across the country, between the states of Bahia and Sergipe, the Caatinga titi monkey faces a similar struggle against deforestation and forest fragmentation in its habitat. Though separated by geography, both species – found only in Brazil – share the same dire situation: they’re at serious risk of extinction, and both have now been named among the 25 most endangered primates on the planet.

The threats facing primates are echoed around the world and are central to the latest edition of Primates in Peril, released May 8th. Published by Re:wild in collaboration with the IUCN Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group (PSG) and the International Primatological Society (IPS), the list is a stark call to action to prevent these animals from disappearing forever.

Whether from Latin America, Asia, or Africa, the primates on the list are victims of a shared tragedy: habitat loss. This remains the top threat to their survival, often compounded by hunting, illegal trafficking, disease, competition with invasive species, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events driven by climate change.

In Brazil – a country that boasts the world’s greatest diversity of primates – these factors have placed over one-fifth of monkey species at risk of extinction.

The pied tamarin (Saguinus bicolor) at least has one reason to hope. In June of last year, a new 15,300-hectare Wildlife Refuge was created for the species – a victory that conservationists had fought for over a decade. The refuge, a type of Brazilian protected area, is seen as a crucial step toward the conservation of the species.

“The recognition of the pied tamarin as one of the most endangered primates globally gave critical momentum to the creation of the refuge,” says Leandro Jerusalinsky, coordinator of Brazil’s National Center for Research and Conservation of Brazilian Primates (B/ICMBio).

Jerusalinsky, a Brazilian primatologist and vice-chair of the IUCN Primate Specialist Group, also co-authored the Primates in Peril report. He adds that the newly protected area not only provides enough habitat to a viable long-term population of the species but also promotes research and conservation initiatives focused on the tamarin.

When it comes to the Caatinga titi monkey (Callicebus barbarabrownae), research is key. Much about this species – its range, populations, and ecology – remains unknown. What is clear, however, is that ongoing destruction of the Caatinga – a semi-arid biome located in the Brazilian northeast region –, on which the monkey depends, is casting serious doubt on its future. This threat is made worse by the scarcity of protected areas in the biome. 

“This is a species in urgent need of greater protection,” stresses Jerusalinsky. “One of our main strategies has been to expand scientific knowledge about it – essential for crafting effective conservation plans, establishing protected areas, and improving ecological connectivity.”

In response to the global threats facing primates, the publication recommends expanding and consolidating protected areas, involving Indigenous and local communities as biodiversity stewards, strengthening laws against wildlife trafficking and deforestation, and securing funding for long-term conservation programs.

The goal is to sound the alarm and draw attention to these species – while also showing that solutions are within reach.

“Each species profile outlines not only the threats but also suggests priority strategies and actions for their conservation,” Jerusalinsky explains.

For the Brazilian species, these strategies align with Brazil’s National Action Plans (PANs) for endangered species conservation. Both the pied tamarin and the Caatinga titi monkey are already targeted in PANs.

The World’s Most Threatened 5h2273

The list is divided into four regions: Africa, Asia, the Neotropics (Latin America), and Madagascar – the African island that is home to all of the world’s lemurs. Madagascar leads the Top 25 list with four lemur species facing imminent risk of extinction.

In the rest of Africa, other six species are listed. Among them is the Niger Delta Red Colobus (Piliocolobus epieni), from Nigeria; and the Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), that lives between Nigeria and Cameroon.

Nine of the 25 most threatened primates are from Asia, including the Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) from Indonesia, and the Myanmar Snub-nosed Monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri) from China and Myanmar. 

Latin America, or the Neotropical region, s for six of the primates named on the global list.

Among them is the Peruvian yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda), found only in the high altitude forests of the Peruvian Andes. The species was considered extinct in the past, until it was rediscovered in 1974. In 2024, at the 50th anniversary of the species’ rediscovery the monkey received special legal protection in Peru – an achievement towards its conservation.

Read the Full Report 3z1o6y

There are currently 721 recognized species and subspecies of primates worldwide. Alarmingly, more than half – 466, or 64% – are listed as threatened with extinction on the IUCN Red List.

Madagascar presents the most severe case: 95% of the island’s 112 lemur species and subspecies – found nowhere else on Earth – are at risk of vanishing.

“These primates are vital to ecosystems and human cultures. Losing them would be an irreversible tragedy,” says Russell Mittermeier, Chair of the IUCN Primate Specialist Group.

25 Years of the Top 25 6q6w4g

The release of the 2023–2025 edition marks the 25th anniversary of the Primates in Peril initiative, launched in 2000 to spotlight primates facing severe risk of extinction.

Since its inception, 103 primate species and subspecies have been featured on the list – 13 of them from Brazil.

“Since its inception 25 years ago, the Top 25 list has made a significant contribution to primate conservation, highlighting those species in greatest need and often stimulating major

Conservation measures such as the creation of new protected areas and increased funding for the target species.  And perhaps most importantly it has kept the precarious situation of many primate species in the public eye,” summarizes Mittermeier, who also serves as Chief Conservation Officer at Re:wild.

One of the creators of the publication, Mittermeier notes that the selection process has become a global gathering opportunity for primate conservationists to share insights and strategies. The list is updated every two years at the International Primatological Society Congresses.

Launch of the list in Brazil 2t1iu

The latest Primates in Peril edition was unveiled in simultaneous events in Madagascar, Singapore, and Brazil. In Brazil, the launch took place during the 6th International Workshop on Callitrichid Management – focused on marmosets and tamarins – held at the National Primate Center (CENP) in Pará from May 5–9th.

The workshop brought together around 30 experts from more than 20 Brazilian institutions, including zoos, universities, rescue centers, and government agencies. The goal: to strengthen efforts to protect some of Brazil’s most at-risk small primates – like the pied tamarin, now officially among the most endangered in the world.

Other Brazilian Species at Risk 63y36

Beyond the official list, Primates in Peril also highlights five other Brazilian species considered and that demand urgent conservation action.

Three of these hail from different parts of the Amazon and are under severe pressure from deforestation: the White-cheeked spider monkey (Ateles marginatus), Ka’apor capuchin (Cebus kaapori), and Mato Grosso’ titi monkey (Plecturocebus grovesi).

Two others live in the Atlantic Forest: the northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) and the buffy-headed marmoset (Callithrix flaviceps). Both are suffering from historic habitat loss and fragmentation, and the marmoset also faces competition and hybridization risk from invasive species.

Except for the spider monkey, all these species have appeared in previous editions of the Top 25. They remain classified as Critically Endangered under Brazil’s national conservation assessments.

“A species dropping off the list from one edition to the next doesn’t mean its situation has improved much or that it’s no longer threatened,” explains Jerusalinsky. “Often, it simply means we need to focus attention on other species that are also in urgent need of help.”