Indigenous Lands Could Help Threatened Primate Populations

As it turns out, protecting indigenous people's territories also protects lorises, tarsiers, monkeys and apes.

By Sam Walters
Aug 10, 2022 6:30 PM
Northern Muriqui
The critically endangered northern muriqui, also known as the woolly spider monkey. (Credit: Rob Jansen/Shutterstock)

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The northern muriqui, the black-capped capuchin and the munduruku marmoset are only a few of today’s 500-or-so primate species. Yet, these three animals all share a range in South America that intersects with the territories of Indigenous peoples.

Science suggests that this intersection makes sense. In fact, scientists recently revealed that Indigenous lands frequently have higher levels of primate biodiversity. Published in Science Advances, the research also revealed that the non-human primates living inside these territories face the threat of extinction less often than those living just outside of them.

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