Primate Conservation

Primate Conservation

Instructor: Jonathan O'Brien

What you'll learn

Identify conservation threats to Primates globally
Understand and identify conservation threat categories
Recognize threats to primate conservation across the areas where non-human primates live (Central/South America, Asia, and Africa)
Relate environmental changes to primate conservation

Details to know

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Assessments

5 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 5 modules in this course

We are presently facing a potential extinction crisis for the order Primates (and many other life forms). In this course we will learn about threats to primate conservation globally. We will be using the, “Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates 2018-2020” by Schwitzer et al. (2019) as a basis for the discussion of global primate populations. We will investigate conservation status, threats to conservations, success and failures within protecting our closest evolutionary cousins.

In the first module, I will introduce myself and begin defining the Order Primates. Many people have a ‘love’ of ‘monkeys’ without really understanding how incredibly diverse our Order is! This module starts with a definition of primates and then shows where the current radiation of primates still live.

What's included

5 videos1 assignment2 discussion prompts1 plugin

5 videosTotal 73 minutes

1.1 Course Introduction 19 minutesPreview module
1.2 Primate Diversity10 minutes
1.3 Primate Taxonomy 10 minutes
1.4 Primate Habitats18 minutes
1.5 What is conservation?13 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Quiz for Module 130 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 25 minutes

Introduce Yourself!10 minutes
Your Experiences with Primates15 minutes

1 pluginTotal 15 minutes

Show us where you live!15 minutes

This module will begin by introducing the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), the IUCN RedList, and how species are designated in threat categories. We will also discuss different types of threats to primates globally.

What's included

8 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt

8 videosTotal 105 minutes

2.1 Introduction to the IUCN13 minutesPreview module
2.2 IUCN Criteria for Threatened Taxa19 minutes
2.3 Overview of Conservation Concerns2 minutes
2.4 Hunting12 minutes
2.5 Deforestation16 minutes
2.6 Non-Forest Timber Products / Traditional Medicine10 minutes
2.7 Illegal Animal Trade17 minutes
2.8 Protected Areas13 minutes

1 readingTotal 30 minutes

Impending Extinction Crisis of the World's Primates: Why Primates Matter30 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Quiz for Module 230 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 15 minutes

Reflecting on Conservation Threats15 minutes

In this module, we will focus on the Top 25 Most Endangered Primates list. We will go region to region to learn about the primates and the threats they face toward the possibility of extinction.

What's included

6 videos1 reading1 assignment1 discussion prompt

6 videosTotal 55 minutes

3.1 Introduction to Module 34 minutesPreview module
3.2 Neotropics11 minutes
3.3 Species in Asia11 minutes
3.4 Species in Africa11 minutes
3.5 Madagascar -- A Natural Laboratory! 9 minutes
3.6 Other Species for Consideration6 minutes

1 readingTotal 30 minutes

Primates in Peril: The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates 2018-202030 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Quiz for Module 330 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 15 minutes

Reflecting on Possible Extinction Events15 minutes

This module will address conservation organizations in multiple contexts. We will learn about 'in situ' and 'ex situ' conservation methodology. Finally, we will look at a number of conservation organizations and think about ways that the public can get involved.

What's included

3 videos1 assignment1 peer review

Vietnam is home to an incredible diversity of primates. There are currently 25 species and subspecies living in this tropical country (Covert et al., 2017). In this module, we will discuss the diversity of primates, threats to conservation, and the groups that are helping to conserve these animals (and landscapes!).