© Frans Lanting / Minden Pictures As the human population
increases, so does our need for materials and space. Non-human
primates are just one of the many creatures that are threatened
by human sprawl and resource exploitation. The following are
examples of a few typical ways humans are causing the loss of
crucial habitat for apes, monkeys and prosimians. Approximately
26 percent of the world's land area – including one-third of
tropical and temperate forests, and a quarter of natural
grasslands – have been converted for the use of agriculture and
livestock. Because primates are primarily found in tropical
regions of developing nations with vast forested areas, the
impact from logging on these species is high. With roads come
direct loss of habitat, erosion, pollution – all major threats
to primates. Development projects, such as mines and dams, can
pollute, damage and destroy significant amounts of primate
habitat. Fires can be detrimental to primates by posing a direct
threat to individuals, destroying vast