Primates in Fragmented Habitats

Abstract

Forest fragmentation was highlighted as a conservation priority in primatology more than 20 years ago, yet this issue unfortunately remains a key challenge. In this article, I review the literature on primate responses to habitat fragmentation and propose priority areas for future studies. I first encourage scholars to take a landscape approach, which treats heterogeneous cover types, including agroecosystems and secondary forests, as viable spaces for primate movement and foraging. Next, I recommend further exploration of edge effects to understand how they interact with surrounding matrix and how different species use these habitats. Finally, I discuss linear disturbances, such as clearings for roads and power lines, and how they uniquely divide primate habitats. Further research in these priority areas, along with greater regional and taxonomic diversity of fragmentation studies, will improve our understanding of the impact of habitat fragmentation and inform management strategies to share space with our primate neighbors.