Fertebrate Primates: Tropical Rainforest

Tropical rain forests, which are found in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia, have warm, humid climate and heavy seasonal rainfall (Supriatna et al. 1996; Umapathy et al. 2003). The rainy season lasts from about September to May, with average monthly rainfall between 140 and 300 mm (5.5 and 11.8 in) and from June through August or September there is less rainfall received in Southeast Asia (Lucas & Corlett 1991; Yeager 1996; Umapathy et al. 2003). Besides, tropical rain forests are home to world’s highest biodiversity including a highly complex and diverse vertebrate fauna (Harmelin-Vivien & Bourliere 1989). However, tropical rain forests are always manipulated and exploited for economic purposes (Mergen, 1981). The tropical rainforests

Primates are one of those adversely affected vertebrate taxa and therefore are recognised as indicator species that may reflect the intactness of the forest as wildlife habitat. For instance, the population decline of various primate species has generally altered the ecological balance of the biological community in Malaysia (Marsh et al. 1981). It is believed that the greater the species richness of a species group, the more sensitive it is to habitat change and thus, the more useful it can be as an indicator of changes in ecosystem processes. Since the survival of most primate species is dependent on the well-being of rain-forest habitat (Wolfheim, 1983) and that most of the rain forests throughout the world is expected to be reduced to logged or otherwise disturbed patches within 25 years, the abilities of primates to survive in those areas are of great importance in formulating conservation strategies. (Johns & Skorupa, 1986). Hence, information on primates is very important (Johns