Global Warming May Push Primates To Extinction

Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 17:20

A new study has alarmed the naturalists. According to the study, global warming could threaten the existence of mountain gorillas and other leaf eating primates.

Experts predicted that the annual temperatures are expected to rise by 2 degrees Celsius by mid century, making the animals inactive. They would spend more time in the shade to avoid heat. Eventually, they would end up with less food.

Principal investigator Amanda Korstjens, a biological anthropologist at Bournemouth University in the UK said that less nutritious food for mountain gorillas and African colobines would push the animals to extinction.

“A two-degree temperature increase is not a very far fetched idea," said Korstjens. “Animals can adapt and maybe primates will find another way of coping with it. However, I feels that the animals are already at their limits," she added.

The study was published in the journal of Animal Behaviour.