Mankind’s Closest Animal Cousins Face Extinction

If you’ve been to the movies recently you have no doubt seen a preview for the sci-fi flick War for the Planet of the Apes.  Who wins in the futuristic showdown? Buy a ticket.  But it’s pretty clear which side is losing right now.

More than two dozen of the top primatologists warn that some 60 percent of species of primates are in danger of becoming extinct because of human activity. The researchers say if the effects of habitat loss, hunting and man-made climate change aren't mitigated, our closest animal cousins will start to vanish in the next 25 to 50 years.

The Washington Post says as with pressure on many species, the loss of habitat is the biggest driver of concern with the expansion of cities, industrial agriculture, ranching, logging, oil and gas drilling, mining and more all contributing to the concern.