Primate Conservation in Shared Landscapes

The majority of nonhuman primates are found in habitats impacted by humans. Therefore, conservation interventions in anthropogenic landscapes are critical for the long-term survival of primate populations. Due to their intelligence and socioecological flexibility, many primates exhibit behaviours deemed problematic such as crop feeding, property damage, and livestock depredation. Large-bodied primates may also pose a physical risk to people. In this chapter, we first revise the common criteria for selecting primate conservation priorities and consider them in the context of shared landscapes. We discuss the importance of inclusive conservation approaches and provide recommendations for addressing negative human-primate interactions based on existing information. Three case studies that illustrate conservation efforts in shared environments are presented: (1) the Bulindi Chimpanzee and Community Project in Uganda, (2) community conservation of orangutans and Javan slow lorises in Indonesia, and (3) inclusive conservation of golden lion tamarins in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. The active participation of a diverse group of stakeholders, including local community groups, in all conservation stages is essential to fully understand the complexities of human-primate interactions in shared landscapes, address negative interactions, mitigate conservation conflicts, advocate for equity, and promote long-term human-primate coexistence.