Adopt a Gorilla or Golden Lion Tamarin.
Human
Origins Program at
the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History.
All great apes—gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, and bonobos—are endangered. The United Nations estimates that there are only 450,000 great apes left. Threats to their survival include
the expansion of human population, bushmeat poaching, and uncontrolled logging. Many other primates, who are losing their habitat to humans, are also endangered. Fortunately, there
are international and national organizations, laws, and
guidelines intended to protect primates.
Primates found in zoos may also face risks, such as inbreeding and demographic instability, and are managed cooperatively.
Learn about some of the efforts to protect primates as well as some of the major conservation organizations.
- Gorilla Conservation
- Gibbon Conservation
- Golden Lion Tamarin Conservation Program
National Zoo scientists have led a long-term effort to save the golden lion tamarin from extinction.
- Lemur Conservation
- Orangutan Conservation
- Pygmy Marmoset Conservation
- Primate Conservation Organizations
For information on how you can make a positive impact for animals and the environments where they live, think globally, act locally.
