Primate Extinction in the Anthropocene and the Tail of Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus

Nelson Ting

Professor, Department of Anthropology & Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon

There have been five mass extinction events in the history of Earth, and it is thought we are in the midst of a sixth. The consequences of this current event are far reaching, from losses in biodiversity and ecosystem services to damages in human food systems and global health security. Thus far, only one primate is thought to have recently gone extinct – Miss Waldron’s red colobus monkey. A dried tail procured from a hunter 25 years ago may provide clues as to how primates fit into this sixth extinction. Using results from whole genome sequencing from this specimen, I attempt to piece together the factors that drove this animal to extinction and discuss the implications for current conservation policy for primates. Based on these results and other lines of evidence, I argue that red colobus monkeys may play an important role in the conservation of tropical forests in Africa, and that holistic approaches to the protection of these animals will benefit both biodiversity and human livelihoods. Finally, to this end, I highlight recent activities my colleagues and I have undertaken as we implement recommendations from the IUCN Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan.