Palm Oil Detectives

2025-07-26 15:21:00

Protecting The Rare, Precious Red Colobus Will Safeguard Africa’s Forests

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Very few people have heard of the rarest primate in #Africa – The Red Colobus. Featuring funky hairstyles and expressive faces they daringly leap between trees to search for food. Every species of red #colobus is under threat from hunting and rainforest clearing for #palmoil, #cocoa and #meat agriculture. Their disappearance from forests heralds the beginning of the vanishing of other animals: gorillas, chimpanzees and elephants. Another successful conservation effort for the Zanzibar red colobus led to a national park being created to protect this species. Conservationists hope that the same can be done for the Red Colobus species in the form of funding and greater protections. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

youtu.be/ZOcEbT4jw2M

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You’ve likely never heard of the curious Red #Colobus, #WestAfrica’s rarest #primate 🐒🐵🙉 Researchers now know that protecting them and the #rainforest will protect all other rare #species. Fight for their survival! #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect palmoildetectives.com/2025/07/…

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Written by Joshua M. Linder, Professor of Anthropology, James Madison University and Nelson Ting, Professor of Anthropology, University of Oregon. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Evidence from several sites shows that red colobus are amongthe first large mammals to disappear from a hunted forest. They vanish before more well-known species such as gorilla, chimpanzee, and elephant die out in forests from hunting.

Many people have never heard of a red colobus, yet they are Africa’s most imperilled group of monkeys.

There are 17 species of red colobus found in tropical forests from Senegal in west Africa to the Zanzibar archipelago in east Africa. These photogenic monkeys have aesthetically appealing hairdos, coat colours and colour patterns. They weigh, on average, between 5kg and 12kg and take daring, long-distance leaps between trees to find foods that other primates find difficult to digest, like leaves and unripe fruit.

We are primate experts who specialise in studying how to conserve red colobus and other primates. With experts from Africa, Europe and the United States, we drew up the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan. This five year plan, which runs from 2021 to 2026, aims to make the red colobus a high priority animal for conservation purposes.

In the action plan and our latest published research, we argue that conserving the red colobus will benefit African tropical forests.

This is because evidence from several sites shows that red colobus are among the first large mammals to disappear from a hunted forest. They vanish before more well-known species such as gorilla, chimpanzee, and elephant die out in forests from hunting. Therefore, the absence of red colobus, or a declining population, is an early warning indicator of emptying forests and eroding ecosystems.

Red colobus conservation will also help to train and employ the next generation of African conservationists and improve human food security and public health.

Why are red colobus in danger?

According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, every species of red colobus is threatened with extinction. Hunting by humans for meat is a leading cause of their decline. Red colobus live in large, noisy social groups. They tend not to flee like other mammals do in the presence of a hunter. This makes them easy targets.

Hunting has caused the probable extinction of Miss Waldron’s red colobus from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. This monkey was last seen alive by scientists in 1978, making it the first primate to likely have gone extinct in the last 300-500 years. Forest loss and degradation from logging, agriculture, mining, wood fuel production and infrastructure development also threaten red colobus because they rely so heavily on the oldest and tallest trees in a forest.
Infographic: Red Colobus species in Africa. Infographic: Alana J. Hyman

Why invest in conserving red colobus monkeys?

It is important to protect the red colobus from extinction. When funds and resources are directed at conserving red colobus, this helps safeguard and restore some of Africa’s most important forest habitats that the red colobus live in. These include the largest remaining forest blocks in west Africa, the Gulf of Guinea forests and large swathes of the Congo Basin forest. These forests are key for mitigating the impacts of global climate change.

Making red colobus a high conservation priority has already proven to be a successful strategy for conserving African tropical forests. The protection of Zanzibar red colobus, for example, was a key impetus in the creation of Zanzibar’s only national park, Jozani–Chwaka Bay and the Kidikotundu–Nongwe–Vundwe Reserve. Both of these areas protect large areas of indigenous forest on the island.

The forests in which red colobus live also support the livelihoods and health of millions of indigenous and local human populations in Africa. This is why conserving the red colobus needs to happen in partnership with forest-dependent communities. In Nigeria’s Niger Delta, for example, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by a local community to establish a red colobus community conservation area.

In the Sambel Kunda area in The Gambia, international scientists work with communities to support red colobus monitoring, forest restoration, and conservation education. This community-led project protects one of the largest remaining populations of Temminck’s red colobus.

What needs to be done?

The IUCN Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan is the first of its kind for any group of African monkeys. It recommends these actions to conserve the red colobus and preserve Africa’s tropical forests:

• grant proper international and national legal protections for all red colobus species
• conduct forest surveys to improve people’s understanding of where red colobus live and what they need from the environment to survive
• invest in and expand protected area networks
• support local communities to move away from unsustainable forest harvesting and take up more active roles in preserving their forests and endangered species
• improve links between conservation and public health by strengthening access to family health services and implementing measures to prevent potential zoonotic disease transmission between monkeys and humans.
• invest in local and global education and outreach programs focused on red colobus and their habitats.

We also formed a Red Colobus Working Group to guide the plan’s implementation and promote collaboration with other conservation initiatives. We’ve founded the Red Colobus Conservation Network to connect people interested in red colobus conservation.

Since the action plan’s publication in 2021, over US$500,000 has been directed to projects aimed at conserving red colobus and their habitats. But much more is needed. We conservatively estimate that a modest US$20 million is required over a five year period for strategies to prevent red colobus extinctions and preserve African tropical forests.

We call on scientists, conservation practitioners, civil society organisations, local communities, and governments to recognise red colobus as a priority conservation target and a flagship for catalysing broader African tropical forest conservation efforts.

(This article is based on the work of those who contributed directly to the Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan and the many individuals who have contributed to the conservation of red colobus and their habitats for many years. Drew T. Cronin, associate curator of International Conservation at the North Carolina Zoo in the US, was a co-author of this article and the original research. If you are interested in learning more about red colobus conservation or are interested in getting involved, please contact one of us or the coordinator of the Red Colobus Conservation Network, Florence Aghomo, at info@redcolobusnetwork.org.)

Western Red Colobus Piliocolobus badius

The Western Red Colobus Piliocolobus badius is one of West Africa’s most #endangered #primates, facing an escalating crisis of habitat loss and overhunting. Once abundant in mature forests across the region, they have been driven to the brink of #extinction by rampant deforestation for charcoal, palm oil and mining and the increasing demand for #bushmeat.…
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Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus Piliocolobus waldroni

xMiss Waldron’s Red Colobus, a secretive old world primate sport chestnut, black, and white white fur that surrounds their expressive faces. They live in the dense canopies of West Africa’s dwindling forests. Their story is one of ever-increasing fragility, on the edge of survival. Sightings of these magnificent primates have faded away since 1978. The…
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Written by Joshua M. Linder, Professor of Anthropology, James Madison University and Nelson Ting, Professor of Anthropology, University of Oregon. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

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Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

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twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

#Africa #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalCommunication #animalCruelty #animalExtinction #animalIntelligence #animalRights #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #cocoa #Colobus #deforestation #hunting #meat #MissWaldronSRedColobusPiliocolobusWaldroni #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Primate #rainforest #species #WestAfrica #WesternRedColobusPiliocolobusBadius

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2024-02-17 15:30:00

Palm Oil Increases Deaths of Baby Macaques

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youtu.be/iuJT72n_8AU

In Peninsular Malaysia, a new study published in Cell Biology by a team led by Dr Anna Holzner of German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig has found that infant mortality rates among wild southern pig-tailed macaques are alarmingly high due to frequent visits to oil palm plantations.

These plantations expose the infants to increased risks from predators, human encounters, and harmful agricultural chemicals, potentially affecting the development and survival of infant macaques. The study, conducted in collaboration of international researchers, observed that prolonged exposure to these plantations during infancy triples the likelihood of death.

The study suggests that pesticides used in agriculture could cross the placental barrier or be transmitted through breastmilk, impacting fetal development and health. This significant research underlines the urgent need for eco-friendly agricultural practices to protect wildlife and human communities near plantations. Take action and join the movement to #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop!

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#News: #Research in Current Biology finds infant pigtailed #macaques visiting ＃palmoil plantations 3 x more likely to die young from #pesticide poisoning. Agricultural chemicals are detrimental to infant ＃primates #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🔥⛔️ wp.me/pcFhgU-7aa

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It’s not just #orangutans 🦧🧡 countless #rainforest animals are at risk from #oilpalm 🐵🐒 A #study in Cell Biology finds #macaque babies 3 x more likely to die from palm oil #pesticide. Help them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife! 🌴🩸 @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-7aa

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Anna Holzner, Nurul Iza Adrina Mohd Rameli, Nadine Ruppert, Anja Widdig (2024): Agricultural habitat use affects infant survivorship in an endangered macaque species. Current Biology, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.002. Media release published by German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 8th January, 2024, read original.

Study reveals link between frequent plantation visits and infant mortality in wild southern pig-tailed macaques in Peninsular Malaysia

Frequent visits to oil palm plantations are leading to a sharp increase in mortality rates among infant southern pig-tailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina) in the wild, according to a new study published in Current Biology. In addition to increased risk from predators and human encounters, exposure to harmful agricultural chemicals in this environment may negatively affect infant development.

In wild populations, infant survival is crucial for determining individual fitness and for maintaining viable populations in changing environments. For primates, agricultural areas adjacent to tropical forest habitat can be a mixed blessing: While crop plantations can provide easy access to food, they also come with increased exposure to various hazards, which is likely contributing to reduced infant survival in several wild primate species.

Exposure to palm plantations increases infant mortality

In a long-term collaboration between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig University (UL), and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVA), researchers set out to investigate potential links between frequent visits to oil palm plantations and the particularly high infant mortality they observed among wild southern pig-tailed macaques in Peninsular Malaysia. In a habituated study population in this region, 57% of all infants born between 2014 and 2023 died before the age of one – a rate that far exceeds mortality rates reported in other wild primate populations.

For almost ten years, the researchers followed two groups of macaques living in a mosaic of rainforest and oil palm plantations. They found that prolonged exposure to oil palm plantations during infancy tripled the likelihood of infant mortality. This key finding could be explained by increased encounters with predators and humans, and potential exposure to harmful chemicals such as pesticides in this environment.

“Some of these risks are relatively clear: infant macaques are more likely to fall prey to feral dogs that roam in the plantations in packs or to be captured by humans and sold illegally as pets,” explains Dr Nadine Ruppert from USM, who established and leads the field site. “But the potential long-term effects of the pesticides used to manage the monocultures on mammalian wildlife are much less obvious and very poorly understood.”

Pesticides may affect foetal development

The study also found increased infant mortality rates when mothers gave birth for the first time or when there was a long interval between two consecutives births, which contradicts studies that report increased mortality when the interbirth interval is shorter. The accumulation or uptake of pesticides in the mother’s body may play a key role: “The literature suggests that certain harmful substances used in agriculture can cross the placental barrier and be passed on to the unborn offspring. We also know that certain fat-soluble molecules can be passed on through breastmilk,” says lead author Dr Anna Holzner (iDiv, MPI EVA, UL and USM). “Accordingly, the longer the chemicals accumulate in the mother’s body, the more they could influence foetal development during pregnancy and also during lactation.”
Pollution run-off in an RSPO member palm oil plantation in Sumatra. Craig Jones Wildlife Photography
The study highlights the urgent need to address anthropogenic threats to animals in agricultural landscapes. “We know that the use of pesticides in agriculture has led to drastic declines in insect populations, so chemical analysis is essential to understand the effects of pesticides on mammalian wildlife,” says Professor Dr Anja Widdig (UL, MPI EVA and iDiv), senior author and leading PI in this iDiv Flexpool project. “Our findings underscore the critical need to implement environmentally friendly cultivation practices that minimise the risks to wildlife populations and also to people living near plantations.”

Anna Holzner, Nurul Iza Adrina Mohd Rameli, Nadine Ruppert, Anja Widdig (2024): Agricultural habitat use affects infant survivorship in an endangered macaque species. Current Biology, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.12.002. Media release published by German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)
Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 8th January, 2024, read original.

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

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S.E. Asia
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---

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…

twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

#AnimalBiodiversityNews #biodiversity #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #chemicals #deforestation #extinction #ForgottenAnimals #Indonesia #macaque #macaques #Malaysia #Mammal #News #oilpalm #orangutans #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pesticide #primates #rainforest #research #SouthEastAsia #SouthernPigTailedMacaques #study

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2026-01-31 13:23:00

Meat-Stinking Giant Flower Has A Delectable Aroma For Pollinators

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The Titan Arum, more commonly known as the ‘Corpse Flower’ is famous for its repulsive meat smell. Designed to repel humans, in contrast pollinators find the putrid aromas irresistible in the plant’s native environment. The Corpse Flower Titan Arum lives deep inside of Sumatra’s imperilled rainforests. endangered by palm oil and mining deforestation. Now researchers have gained greater insight into how the plant warms itself up before blooming – known as thermogenesis and have discovered a new compound called ‘putrescine’ which gives the plant its strong aroma. Help these rare stinking beauties to survive when you #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

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The gigantic Titan Arum #plant better known as the ‘Corpse Flower’ stinks like rotting flesh. They live deep in #Sumatra’s #rainforest. Endangered by #palmoil #deforestation, learn how to protect them! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴👎🛢️⛔ @palmoildetect.bsky.social wp.me/pcFhgU-9bK

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Corpse #Flowers are unusual 🌸 as they emit heat before flowering. Scientists have found the smelly compound causing their aroma: ‘Putrescine’. They’re #endangered by #palmoil #deforestation. Take action! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🔥❌ @palmoildetect.bsky.social wp.me/pcFhgU-9bK

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Alveena Zulfiqar, Beenish J Azhar, Samina N Shakeel, William Thives Santos, Theresa D Barry, Dana Ozimek, Kim DeLong, Ruthie Angelovici, Kathleen M Greenham, Craig A Schenck, G Eric Schaller. Molecular basis for thermogenesis and volatile production in the titan arum. PNAS Nexus, 2024; DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae492

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The Titan Arum, more commonly known as the ‘Corpse Flower’, is famous for its repulsive meat smell. While designed to repel humans, this putrid aroma irresistibly attracts pollinators in its native environment—the imperilled rainforests of Sumatra, now under threat from palm oil plantations and mining activities. Researchers have recently uncovered how the plant generates heat before blooming, a process known as thermogenesis, and have identified a new compound called ‘putrescine’, which contributes to its potent stench.

A study led by G. Eric Schaller, Professor of Biological Sciences at Dartmouth College, explored the genetic and biological mechanisms behind the Titan Arum’s remarkable heating and scent production. The research relied on tissue samples from ‘Morphy’, Dartmouth’s 21-year-old Corpse Flower, to analyse RNA sequences. This allowed scientists to pinpoint which genes are active during the phases of heating and scent release.

The Titan Arum is not a single flower but a cluster of tiny flowers hidden within a massive central stalk, known as the spadix, which can reach up to 12 feet in height. It blooms rarely—typically once every 5 to 7 years—and only for a brief period. “The blooms are rare and also short-lived, so we only get a small window to study these phenomena,” Schaller explains.

During blooming, the spadix heats up, raising its temperature by as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit above the surrounding air. This thermogenic phase coincides with the emission of its signature scent, a mixture of sulphur-based compounds designed to attract flies and carrion beetles, which play a vital role in the plant’s pollination.

The RNA analysis revealed that genes associated with alternative oxidases—plant equivalents of animal uncoupling proteins—are highly active during the heating phase, especially in the spadix’s appendix. Additionally, genes involved in sulphur transport and metabolism were expressed, driving the production of the odour. Among these compounds, researchers identified putrescine, an organic chemical not previously recognised as part of the Corpse Flower’s scent profile.

This research sheds light on the evolutionary adaptations of the Titan Arum while highlighting the urgent need to conserve its natural habitat. Protecting the rainforests of Sumatra from deforestation caused by palm oil cultivation and mining is critical for the survival of this extraordinary species. By choosing to #BoycottPalmOil and supporting campaigns such as #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop, individuals can help safeguard the delicate ecosystems these rare flowers depend on, ensuring they continue to thrive for generations to come.
Meat-Stinking Giant Flower Has A Delectable Aroma For Pollinators
Alveena Zulfiqar, Beenish J Azhar, Samina N Shakeel, William Thives Santos, Theresa D Barry, Dana Ozimek, Kim DeLong, Ruthie Angelovici, Kathleen M Greenham, Craig A Schenck, G Eric Schaller. Molecular basis for thermogenesis and volatile production in the titan arum. PNAS Nexus, 2024; DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgae492

ENDS

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

Keep reading

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Keep reading

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Keep reading

Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

Keep reading

Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis

Keep reading

Frill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii

Keep reading

---

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more

---

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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• WordPress
• YouTube
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• Mastodon

Enter your email address

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Join 3,174 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

Read more

Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…

twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

#biodiversity #Botany #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CorpseFlower #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #flowers #Indonesia #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #plant #plants #pollinator #rainforest #ReasonsToBeHopeful #Sumatra #TitanArum

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2026-03-06 13:05:30

Marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua

In an astonishing discovery, two marsupial species believed to be extinct for 6,000 years have been rediscovered alive and well in the remote rainforests of West Papua. The pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider were located with the crucial assistance of local indigenous Vogelkop clans. However, their survival remains precarious as their habitats are increasingly threatened by logging and the expansion of the palm oil colonialism in West Papua. Laws and native title to protect this region is essential for indigenous land defenders. We musn’t let them disappear again #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Two #extinct #marsupials in #WestPapua found alive! The #marsupials highlight the need to protect #Papuan forests or they are gone for good! Resist for them and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop 🌴🙊🔥☠️🚫 @palmoildetect #Boycott4Wildlife wp.me/pcFhgU-iOH

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Two #possums thought extinct for 6000 years are alive in #WestPapua! The pygmy #possum and sacred ring-tailed #glider are #nature’s battlers who deserve a break from #palmoil ecocide. Stand with #indigenous defenders against palm oil #colonialism! 🌴🚫 @palmoildetect #BoycottPalmOil wp.me/pcFhgU-iOH

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youtu.be/T1uWC5ZE4KI

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Two extraordinarily rare marsupials, entirely believed to have been extinct for over six thousand years, have been discovered alive in the remote, Vogelkop mountain forests of the Bird’s Head peninsula in West Papua. This remarkable rediscovery of the pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider was confirmed by Australian scientist Professor Tim Flannery, alongside a team of local indigenous experts and university researchers.

“More important than finding a living thylacine in Tasmania.”
Scott Hucknull from Central Queensland University describes the magnitude of the discovery.

These species are rare examples of “Lazarus taxa”. Animals who disappear from the fossil record only to be found alive centuries later. Flannery noted that the likelihood of finding even one lost mammal was almost zero, let alone two.

“It’s unprecedented and groundbreaking, really, to find two Lazarus taxa,” Flannery says. “We’ve been able to finalise two pieces of work that are incredibly important from a biological and a conservation perspective, documenting the existence of rare marsupials in an area under threat. It’s sort of a crowning glory in my career as a biologist.”

The first of the resurrected species is the pygmy long-fingered possum, Dactylonax kambuayai. This tiny, striped marsupial possesses an extraordinary evolutionary trait: an elongated fourth finger on each hand that is double the length of other digits. Flannery explains that they use this finger to extract grubs from timber.

“They’ve got a whole lot of specialisations in their ear region as well, which seem to be related to detection of low-frequency sound. So presumably they’re listening for wood-boring beetle larvae, and they then rip open the rotting wood and use that finger to fish out the grub,” Flannery says.

The second species, the ring-tailed glider (Tous ayamaruensis), features unfurred ears and a strong, prehensile tail used for gripping branches. Flannery calls it “one of the most photogenic animals, most beautiful marsupials you’ll ever see.”

Crucially, the rediscovery of these elusive creatures was entirely dependent on the profound ecological knowledge of the local Tambrauw and Maybrat clans. These indigenous communities view the ring-tailed glider as deeply sacred, believing them to be manifestations of their ancestors’ spirits, and actively protect them from hunting. Rika Korain, a Maybrat woman and co-author of the research, emphasised that identifying the species relied entirely on traditional owners. “This connection has been essential,” she says.

“I’m very proud that Papuan researchers contributed to these landmark discoveries, and want to thank the people of the Misool, Maybrat and Tambrouw regions who supported us in the field,”
Dr Aksamina Yohanita of the University of Papua said.

“The Vogelkop is an ancient piece of the Australian continent that has become incorporated into the island of New Guinea. Its forests may shelter yet more hidden relics of a past Australia,”
Tim Flannery

To protect the remaining populations from the illegal wildlife trade, researchers are keeping their exact locations highly classified. Flannery delivered a stark warning to potential poachers regarding the animals’ survival in captivity: “They would be incredibly difficult to keep in captivity. because their diet is so highly specialised. Advanced warning for anyone who’s thinking of keeping one as a pet: it won’t live long,” he says.

While their rediscovery is a triumph, their future is highly uncertain. The proximity of power-hungry corporates intent on razing the rainforest for palm oil and timber casts a dark shadow over the region.

David Lindenmayer, an ecologist at the Australian National University, who was not involved in the study said “I am also hugely concerned about the extent of logging and land clearing happening in New Guinea,” he says. “It also makes me wonder what might have been lost in Australia as a result of all of the land clearing that has taken place here.”

The findings underline strong calls from scientists, environmentalists and indigenous rights advocates for Native Title legal land rights and indigenous-led protections of West Papua and its imperilled Vogelkop rainforest where these delightful marsupials are found.

Further information

Lam, L. (2026, March 6). Tiny possum and glider thought extinct for 6,000 years found in remote West Papua. BBC News. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyg6p…

Morton, A. (2026, March 6). Marsupials previously thought extinct for millennia discovered in New Guinea. The Guardian. theguardian.com/environment/20…

Woodford, J. (2026, March 5). Two marsupials believed extinct for 6000 years found alive. New Scientist. newscientist.com/article/25180…

ENDS

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

Keep reading

Sunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus

Keep reading

Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

Keep reading

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Keep reading

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

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Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

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---

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more

---

---

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Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

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Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

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The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

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How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

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twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

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#animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalExtinction #animalIntelligence #animalRights #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #Marsupial #marsupials #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #possum #possums #WestPapua

Palm Oil Detectives

Empowering creatives and consumers

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Palm Oil Detectives

2025-07-26 15:21:00

Protecting The Rare, Precious Red Colobus Will Safeguard Africa’s Forests

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Very few people have heard of the rarest primate in #Africa – The Red Colobus. Featuring funky hairstyles and expressive faces they daringly leap between trees to search for food. Every species of red #colobus is under threat from hunting and rainforest clearing for #palmoil, #cocoa and #meat agriculture. Their disappearance from forests heralds the beginning of the vanishing of other animals: gorillas, chimpanzees and elephants. Another successful conservation effort for the Zanzibar red colobus led to a national park being created to protect this species. Conservationists hope that the same can be done for the Red Colobus species in the form of funding and greater protections. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

youtu.be/ZOcEbT4jw2M

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You’ve likely never heard of the curious Red #Colobus, #WestAfrica’s rarest #primate 🐒🐵🙉 Researchers now know that protecting them and the #rainforest will protect all other rare #species. Fight for their survival! #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect palmoildetectives.com/2025/07/…

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Written by Joshua M. Linder, Professor of Anthropology, James Madison University and Nelson Ting, Professor of Anthropology, University of Oregon. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Evidence from several sites shows that red colobus are amongthe first large mammals to disappear from a hunted forest. They vanish before more well-known species such as gorilla, chimpanzee, and elephant die out in forests from hunting.

Many people have never heard of a red colobus, yet they are Africa’s most imperilled group of monkeys.

There are 17 species of red colobus found in tropical forests from Senegal in west Africa to the Zanzibar archipelago in east Africa. These photogenic monkeys have aesthetically appealing hairdos, coat colours and colour patterns. They weigh, on average, between 5kg and 12kg and take daring, long-distance leaps between trees to find foods that other primates find difficult to digest, like leaves and unripe fruit.

We are primate experts who specialise in studying how to conserve red colobus and other primates. With experts from Africa, Europe and the United States, we drew up the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan. This five year plan, which runs from 2021 to 2026, aims to make the red colobus a high priority animal for conservation purposes.

In the action plan and our latest published research, we argue that conserving the red colobus will benefit African tropical forests.

This is because evidence from several sites shows that red colobus are among the first large mammals to disappear from a hunted forest. They vanish before more well-known species such as gorilla, chimpanzee, and elephant die out in forests from hunting. Therefore, the absence of red colobus, or a declining population, is an early warning indicator of emptying forests and eroding ecosystems.

Red colobus conservation will also help to train and employ the next generation of African conservationists and improve human food security and public health.

Why are red colobus in danger?

According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, every species of red colobus is threatened with extinction. Hunting by humans for meat is a leading cause of their decline. Red colobus live in large, noisy social groups. They tend not to flee like other mammals do in the presence of a hunter. This makes them easy targets.

Hunting has caused the probable extinction of Miss Waldron’s red colobus from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. This monkey was last seen alive by scientists in 1978, making it the first primate to likely have gone extinct in the last 300-500 years. Forest loss and degradation from logging, agriculture, mining, wood fuel production and infrastructure development also threaten red colobus because they rely so heavily on the oldest and tallest trees in a forest.
Infographic: Red Colobus species in Africa. Infographic: Alana J. Hyman

Why invest in conserving red colobus monkeys?

It is important to protect the red colobus from extinction. When funds and resources are directed at conserving red colobus, this helps safeguard and restore some of Africa’s most important forest habitats that the red colobus live in. These include the largest remaining forest blocks in west Africa, the Gulf of Guinea forests and large swathes of the Congo Basin forest. These forests are key for mitigating the impacts of global climate change.

Making red colobus a high conservation priority has already proven to be a successful strategy for conserving African tropical forests. The protection of Zanzibar red colobus, for example, was a key impetus in the creation of Zanzibar’s only national park, Jozani–Chwaka Bay and the Kidikotundu–Nongwe–Vundwe Reserve. Both of these areas protect large areas of indigenous forest on the island.

The forests in which red colobus live also support the livelihoods and health of millions of indigenous and local human populations in Africa. This is why conserving the red colobus needs to happen in partnership with forest-dependent communities. In Nigeria’s Niger Delta, for example, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by a local community to establish a red colobus community conservation area.

In the Sambel Kunda area in The Gambia, international scientists work with communities to support red colobus monitoring, forest restoration, and conservation education. This community-led project protects one of the largest remaining populations of Temminck’s red colobus.

What needs to be done?

The IUCN Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan is the first of its kind for any group of African monkeys. It recommends these actions to conserve the red colobus and preserve Africa’s tropical forests:

• grant proper international and national legal protections for all red colobus species
• conduct forest surveys to improve people’s understanding of where red colobus live and what they need from the environment to survive
• invest in and expand protected area networks
• support local communities to move away from unsustainable forest harvesting and take up more active roles in preserving their forests and endangered species
• improve links between conservation and public health by strengthening access to family health services and implementing measures to prevent potential zoonotic disease transmission between monkeys and humans.
• invest in local and global education and outreach programs focused on red colobus and their habitats.

We also formed a Red Colobus Working Group to guide the plan’s implementation and promote collaboration with other conservation initiatives. We’ve founded the Red Colobus Conservation Network to connect people interested in red colobus conservation.

Since the action plan’s publication in 2021, over US$500,000 has been directed to projects aimed at conserving red colobus and their habitats. But much more is needed. We conservatively estimate that a modest US$20 million is required over a five year period for strategies to prevent red colobus extinctions and preserve African tropical forests.

We call on scientists, conservation practitioners, civil society organisations, local communities, and governments to recognise red colobus as a priority conservation target and a flagship for catalysing broader African tropical forest conservation efforts.

(This article is based on the work of those who contributed directly to the Red Colobus Conservation Action Plan and the many individuals who have contributed to the conservation of red colobus and their habitats for many years. Drew T. Cronin, associate curator of International Conservation at the North Carolina Zoo in the US, was a co-author of this article and the original research. If you are interested in learning more about red colobus conservation or are interested in getting involved, please contact one of us or the coordinator of the Red Colobus Conservation Network, Florence Aghomo, at info@redcolobusnetwork.org.)

Western Red Colobus Piliocolobus badius

The Western Red Colobus Piliocolobus badius is one of West Africa’s most #endangered #primates, facing an escalating crisis of habitat loss and overhunting. Once abundant in mature forests across the region, they have been driven to the brink of #extinction by rampant deforestation for charcoal, palm oil and mining and the increasing demand for #bushmeat.…
Keep reading

Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus Piliocolobus waldroni

xMiss Waldron’s Red Colobus, a secretive old world primate sport chestnut, black, and white white fur that surrounds their expressive faces. They live in the dense canopies of West Africa’s dwindling forests. Their story is one of ever-increasing fragility, on the edge of survival. Sightings of these magnificent primates have faded away since 1978. The…
Keep reading

Written by Joshua M. Linder, Professor of Anthropology, James Madison University and Nelson Ting, Professor of Anthropology, University of Oregon. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

ENDS

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua

Keep reading

Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

Keep reading

Sunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus

Keep reading

Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

Keep reading

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Keep reading

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Keep reading

---

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more

---

---

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

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Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

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Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…

twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

#Africa #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalCommunication #animalCruelty #animalExtinction #animalIntelligence #animalRights #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #cocoa #Colobus #deforestation #hunting #meat #MissWaldronSRedColobusPiliocolobusWaldroni #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #Primate #rainforest #species #WestAfrica #WesternRedColobusPiliocolobusBadius

Palm Oil Detectives

Empowering creatives and consumers

^{Palm Oil Detectives}

Palm Oil Detectives

2024-06-12 11:57:47

Did you know that gold kills indigenous people and rare animals?

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Gold mining kills indigenous peoples throughout the world like the Yanomami people of Brazil and Papuans in West Papua. The bloody, violent and greedy landgrabbing that goes on for gold forces indigenous women and children into sex slavery! Mercury poisons the water, which kills people and puts 1000’s of species closer to extinction. To help indigenous peoples to fight for their ancestral lands and help endangered animals you should #BoycottGold #BoycottGold4Yanomami

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youtu.be/RLsqyADpgn0

#Gold #mining kills #indigenous peoples 🩸 forcing women and children into sex #slavery! Help #Yanomami people forced violently from their #rainforest homes for the #greed of gold! 🪙⛔️ #BoycottGold #BoycottGold4Yanomami 🫶🌳@BarbaraNavarro @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8uY

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DYK #Gold #mining 🥇🚫 is sending species like #Tapirs and #jaguars 🐅 towards #extinction? 😿It causes #ecocide and violently displaces #Yanomami of #Brazil and #Papuans of #WestPapa. Fight for them 🦥🌱 and #BoycottGold @BarbaraNavarro @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8uY

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Gold mining in the Amazon devastates the Yanomami people’s ancestral land. Meanwhile, Illegal mining drives deforestation, violence, and human rights abuses. Sadly, successive governments in many South American countries, including Brazil, have failed to safeguard the rights of Indigenous peoples, turning a blind eye to the issue. A little known fact is that mercury used in gold extraction poisons ecosystems, wildlife, and people. Another horrifying fact is that indigenous women and children are often forced into sex slavery near mining sites. Major companies and criminals profit from this illegal trade, while the Yanomami suffer.

Gold mining also leads to the loss of biodiversity, disrupts traditional livelihoods, contaminates water sources, and contributes to climate change. You can help when you boycott gold and support Indigenous sovereignty. Share social media posts with the hashtags #BoycottGold and #BoycottGold4Yanomami and follow Barbara Crane Navarro to raise awareness.

ENDS

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Read more about why you should boycott gold

Around 25% of Africa’s Land is Damaged: This is How We Fix It!

Almost 25% of all land in Africa has been damaged driven by climate change and deforestation for mining palm oil and cocoa. Take action and protect forests!

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An Action Plan for Amazon Droughts: The Time is Now!

The fertile lungs of our planet, the Amazon jungle faces severe drought due to El Niño, climate change, and deforestation for agriculture like palm oil, soy and meat. This along with gold mining,…

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Indigenous Empowerment to Reverse Amazonia’s Mineral Demand

Illegal mining for minerals like gold is driving Amazonia deforestation. Empowering Indigenous peoples to care for biodiversity-rich areas is the key!

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New Research: Indigenous Communities Reduce Amazon Deforestation by 83%”

Although #deforestation rates in the Brazilian #Amazon have halved, this globally critical biome is still losing more than 5,000km² every year. That’s an area three times larger than Greater London. By combining satellite…

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Dung Beetles Are Rainforests’ Diligent Regrowth Soldiers

The dung beetle may eat and nest in poop, but their role in nature is anything but humble. These hardshelled scarabs live on every continent except Antarctica, recycling feces and suppressing parasites that…

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Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…

twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

#BarbaraCraneNavarro #BoycottGold #BoycottGold #BoycottGold4Yanomami #Brazil #childLabour #childSlavery #ecocide #extinction #gold #goldMining #greed #humanRights #indigenous #indigenousRights #Jaguars #landRights #landgrabbing #mining #Papuans #rainforest #slavery #Tapirs #WestPapa #Yanomami

Gold Mining in the Amazon devastates the Yanomami People

DYK #Gold #mining 🥇🚫 is sending species like #Tapirs and #jaguars 🐅 towards #extinction? 😿It causes #ecocide and violently displaces #Yanomami of #Brazil...

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Palm Oil Detectives

2026-02-21 15:31:00

Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable

Location: Indonesia (Sulawesi)

Found across the northern peninsula of Sulawesi in Indonesia, including from the northern tip to the Isthmus of Gorontalo, in primary forest, mangroves, and disturbed habitats with dense cover.

The Gursky’s spectral tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae, also known locally as Wusing, is a recently recognised species of tarsier from northern Sulawesi. Listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, they have lost more than 30% of their habitat in the past two decades. #Deforestation for #palmoil and #timber, agricultural encroachment, illegal logging, and the #pettrade all threaten their fragile populations. Their survival depends on wild spaces thick with shrubby undergrowth—the very places being rapidly erased. If you love unique #primates like the spectral #tarsier, use your voice and wallet to protect their forest home. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

youtu.be/FqrauXhLBcY

Known locally as ‘Wusing’, Gursky’s Spectral #Tarsiers have enormous moon-like eyes to help them see in dark forests 🌛👀😽 #Palmoil and the #pet trade are serious threats. Help them survive when you #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🚜❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect palmoildetectives.com/2026/02/…

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Found in tree hollows of #Sulawesi #Indonesia, tiny #primates 🐵🧐 Gursky’s Spectral #Tarsiers are #carnivores with their food, #insects 🪲🦗 being poisoned by #palmoil and #pesticides ☠️ Fight for them! #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect palmoildetectives.com/2026/02/…

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Appearance & Behaviour

Gursky’s spectral tarsiers also known locally as ‘Wusing’ are hauntingly beautiful tiny #primates with enormous, forward-facing eyes that shine like twin moons in the night. These tiny nocturnal primates have a soft, greyish pelage and elongated fingers adapted for gripping tree branches. They are famed for their extreme leaping ability, known as vertical clinging and leaping (VCL), allowing them to spring through the forest canopy with precision and grace.

Highly social and vocal, they live in monogamous or polygamous groups of 2–11 individuals. At dawn, their eerie territorial duets echo through the forest just before they return to their sleeping sites in dense foliage or tree cavities. They are shy, elusive, and deeply dependent on forest structure to hide, hunt, and sleep.

Threats

Habitat Loss from Illegal Logging

The primary threat to Gursky’s spectral tarsier is the ongoing destruction of Sulawesi’s forests due to illegal logging. These small nocturnal primates depend on dense understorey vegetation and tree cavities for shelter and foraging. When forests are cleared, their sleeping sites vanish and prey becomes scarce, forcing them into smaller, fragmented patches of habitat. Even moderate disturbance causes a sharp drop in population density—from over 150 individuals/km² to as few as 45 in degraded areas (Merker, 2003).

Agricultural Expansion and Palm Oil Plantations

Much of the Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier’s lowland habitat has already been converted to palm oil and timber agriculture, and expansion continues. Between 1990 and 2000, 15.26% of Sulawesi’s forests were cleared for crops, with at least 10% more lost since then (Salim, pers. comm. in IUCN, 2020). Palm oil plantations are one of the main drivers of this forest conversion. Although the species can survive in agroforestry and disturbed areas, their numbers drastically decline when natural vegetation is replaced with monocultures.

Pesticide Exposure from Nearby Farms

Chemical pesticides used in adjacent agricultural zones contaminate the tarsiers’ insect prey, leading to bioaccumulation and poisoning. Tarsiers consume a diet entirely composed of live animal prey, mostly insects, which makes them highly vulnerable to pesticide residues. Ingestion of contaminated insects can lead to neurological damage, reproductive failure, or death, further weakening populations in edge habitats near farmlands.

Predation by Domestic Animals

Domestic dogs and cats introduced into forested areas pose a significant predation risk to tarsiers. These animals often accompany humans into disturbed or agricultural areas, where they hunt or scavenge. Tarsiers are small-bodied, slow on the ground, and often descend to low levels of the forest, making them easy targets. Predation by pets fragments already-vulnerable populations and disrupts group dynamics.

Illegal Capture for the Pet Trade

Although not widespread, the illegal pet trade is an emerging threat. Gursky’s spectral tarsiers are occasionally taken from the wild to be sold in local markets or online. These sensitive, nocturnal animals suffer tremendously in captivity, often dying due to stress, malnutrition, or improper care. Removing them from the wild also breaks apart family groups and contributes to long-term population decline.

Geographic Range

Gursky’s spectral tarsier is endemic to Indonesia, restricted to northern Sulawesi, from the northern tip of the peninsula to the Isthmus of Gorontalo. Their habitat includes lowland primary forests, secondary growth, mangroves, and areas with some human disturbance, such as agroforestry and selectively logged landscapes. However, their density drops dramatically as habitat degradation increases.

Diet

Their diet is 100% carnivorous, consisting entirely of live animal prey. They primarily consume insects such as moths and crickets but also hunt small vertebrates like frogs and lizards. Their night-time hunting is punctuated by bursts of movement and quiet observation as they stalk their prey through the understorey.

Mating and Reproduction

Although detailed reproductive data are scarce for this species, Gursky’s spectral tarsiers likely follow similar breeding patterns to other tarsiers. They are known to breed throughout the year, producing one offspring at a time after a gestation period of about six months. The young are born furred and open-eyed, clinging to their parent as they learn to navigate the trees.

FAQs

How many Gursky’s spectral tarsiers are left in the wild?

Precise population numbers of these tarsiers are not known, but density estimates suggest that in pristine habitats, up to 156 individuals per km² may exist (Gursky, 1997). However, in heavily degraded areas, this number can plummet to as low as 45 individuals per km² (Merker, 2003). Their fragmented range and habitat loss make accurate counts difficult, but population declines are expected to continue if deforestation is not halted.

What is their lifespan in the wild?

While specific data for Tarsius spectrumgurskyae is not available, other tarsier species can live between 8–12 years in the wild. In captivity, where threats like predation are removed, their lifespan may be slightly longer. However, these animals do not thrive in captivity and should never be kept as pets.

What challenges do they face in conservation?

One major challenge is habitat degradation due to logging, agriculture, and the spread of palm oil plantations. Though they can tolerate some disturbance, their population density drops significantly with increasing habitat destruction. Additionally, their small size and elusive nature make them difficult to monitor, and they are sometimes misidentified as other tarsier species, complicating conservation strategies.

Do Gursky’s spectral tarsiers make good pets?

No. These sensitive and social primates should never be kept as pets. Capturing them from the wild is cruel and contributes directly to population collapse. It destroys their family groups, causes immense suffering, and feeds into illegal wildlife trade networks. If you care about their survival, never buy a wild animal and advocate against exotic pet ownership.

Take Action!

The future of the Gursky’s spectral tarsier hangs by a thread. Forests are falling at an alarming rate, replaced with monocultures and poisoned with pesticides. Speak up. Refuse to fund deforestation-driven industries. Boycott palm oil. Protect what’s left of Sulawesi’s dwindling forests and support indigenous-led conservation efforts. Never buy wildlife as pets. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat

Support Gursky’s Tarsiers by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife

Support the conservation of this species

This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.

Further Information

Shekelle, M., Groves, C. P., Maryanto, I., & Mittermeier, R. A. (2017). Two new tarsier species (Tarsiidae, Primates) and the biogeography of Sulawesi, Indonesia. Primate Conservation, 31, 37–56. researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/…

Shekelle, M. 2020. Tarsius spectrumgurskyae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T162336422A162336580. dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.202…. Accessed on 06 April 2025.

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Gursky’s spectral tarsier. Retrieved April 6, 2025, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gursky%2…

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How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

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Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

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Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…

twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

---

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Sunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus

Keep reading

Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

Keep reading

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Keep reading

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Keep reading

Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

Keep reading

Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis

Keep reading

---

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more

---

#animals #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #BoycottPesticides #carnivores #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #GurskySSpectralTarsierTarsiusSpectrumgurskyae #hunting #illegalPetTrade #Indonesia #insects #nocturnal #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #pesticide #pesticides #pet #petTrade #pettrade #poaching #Primate #primates #primatology #Sulawesi #tarsier #tarsiers #timber #vegan #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies

The Problems with Palm Oil

Discover the environmental and social issues caused by palm oil production. Learn about its impacts on wildlife, indigenous communities, and how to take action with Palm Oil Detectives

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Palm Oil Detectives

2024-09-21 16:16:49

How does Indonesia’s palm oil industry fuel the climate crisis?

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Booming global demand for palm oil in biofuel is spurring deforestation in Indonesia. Indonesia accounts for more than half of the global palm oil supply, the world’s most widely used vegetable oil that is found in everything from food to cosmetics to fuel.

But environmentalists fear surging demand for the product may drive mass deforestation in Indonesia, home to the world’s third-largest tropical rainforest, and exacerbate the global climate crisis.

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Experts fear a #palmoil #biofuel boom may drive massive #deforestation in #Indonesia, threaten the world’s 3rd largest #rainforest and send irreplaceable #animals and plants to extinction #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @contextnewsroom @palmoildetect palmoildetectives.com/2024/09/…

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New report shows just how devastating ramping up #palmoil production in #Indonesia would be for global #climatechange 🔥🌱 #animal and #plant extinction and air #pollution. Take action when you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife palmoildetectives.com/2024/09/…

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This story was published by Thomson Reuters Foundation, on 20th of September, 2024. [strong]Reporting by Adi Renaldi and editing by Ayla Jean Yackley. Read original.[/strong]

youtu.be/9y_6JMl8PJw

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What’s the context?

Palm oil production reached 50 million tonnes in 2023 from 45 million tonnes the year before, according to the Indonesian Palm Oil Association.

As companies and small landholders replace natural habitats with palm oil plantations, activists and researchers are warning that large amounts of planet-heating carbon is being released into the atmosphere.

How do palm oil plantations contribute to deforestation?

Palm oil plantations covermore than 42.7 million acres of Indonesia, compared with 41.5 million acres in 2019, the government’s Geospatial Information Agency said this month.

Indonesia lost 721,000 acres of primary, or old growth, forest in the last two decades – equivalent to 221 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, according to Global Forest Watch. Drivers of this deforestation include plantations and mining.

Sumatra and Borneo, home to the endangered orangutan and other endemic species, have lost 36% and 45% of their tropical forests, respectively, due to palm oil expansion, according to Nusantara Atlas, a non-profit that tracks deforestation.
How does Indonesia’s palm oil industry fuel the climate crisis?
The loss of carbon-storing forests is compounded by the conversion of peatland into plantations. Indonesia is home to more than a third of the world’s tropical peatlands, a type of wetland that is the world’s biggest land-based store of carbon.

Palm oil planters believe the soil in these wetlands yields more crops and drain them through man-made canals so that planting can take place. A study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 2021 showed draining peatlands across the world releases 1.9 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.
How does Indonesia’s palm oil industry fuel the climate crisis?

How does the biofuel business affect climate change?

Palm oil is a primary ingredient of biodiesel, a cleaner-burning, renewable fuel used in transportation. But a growing body of research shows that biofuels from vegetable oils like palm actually emit more carbon than fossil fuels, primarily due to changes in land use in order to grow the crops.

Indonesia is currently among the largest biodiesel producers in the world, with total exports amounting to more than 193,000 kilolitres.

The government targets production of 13.4 million kilolitres in 2024, 2% more than last year, when it grew 11%, according to the energy ministry.

Indonesia requires fuel producers to make a blend of diesel fuel that contains 35% palm oil and wants that share to rise to 40% in 2025.
How does Indonesia’s palm oil industry fuel the climate crisis?
The government began to cultivate palm oil in the 1980s in the hopes of boosting the economy and providing jobs. It now accounts for3.5% of gross domestic product, government statistics showed.

Researchers claim palm oil has not contributed to the welfare of people living near plantations. The rate of poverty remains high in the palm oil-rich regions of Sumatra and Borneo, where people face food insecurity after farms were cleared to make way for palm trees.

Can a moratorium on new plantations help stop deforestation?

While Indonesia’s deforestation rate fell between 2019 to 2022 due to stricter regulations, amoratorium on forest clearing and better mitigation of forest fires, the clearing of primaryforests for mining and plantations has risen slightly.

The government issued a moratorium on new palm oil plantation in 2018 to slow deforestation. Despite the reprieve, about 119,400 hectares of forests were cleared between 2021 and 2022.

Between 2022 and 2023, some 52,000 hectares of forests were converted into plantations, Nusantara Atlas data showed.

Environmental groups have blamed a lack of reinforcement of the moratorium and called for replanting unproductive oil palm trees on existing plantations, instead of clearing forests.

This story was published by Thomson Reuters Foundation, on 20th of September, 2024. [strong]Reporting by Adi Renaldi and editing by Ayla Jean Yackley. Read original.[/strong]

ENDS

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World’s Wealthiest Drive Two Thirds of Global Warming Since 1990

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Around 25% of Africa’s Land is Damaged: This is How We Fix It!

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SOCFIN’s African Empire of Colonial Oppression: Billionaires Profit from Palm Oil and Rubber Exploitation

Investigation by Bloomberg exposes that despite being RSPO members, #SOCFIN plantations in #WestAfrica are the epicentre of #humanrights abuses, sexual coercion, environmental destruction, and #landgrabbing. Operating in #Liberia, #Ghana, #Nigeria, and beyond, SOCFIN’s…

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Palm Oil Threatens Ancient Noken Weaving in West Papua

Colonial palm oil and sugarcane causing the loss of West Papuans’ cultural identity. Land grabs force communities from forests, threatening Noken weaving

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The Indigenous Malaysian concept of ‘Badi’: respecting the land and wildlife

The Indigenous Semai #indigenous people of #Malaysia can teach us a lot about how to protect people, planet and biodiversity. The Indigenous concept of #badi is not superstition or taboo, it’s about respecting…

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Family Ties Expose Deforestation and Rights Violations in Indonesian Palm Oil

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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• WordPress
• YouTube
• Mail
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Enter your email address

Sign Up

Join 3,174 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

Read more

Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…

twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

#airPollution #animal #animals #biodiversity #biofuel #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #climateChange #climatechange #corruption #deforestation #environment #extinction #Indonesia #PalmOil #palmOilBiofuel #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #plant #pollution #rainforest #SAF #SouthEastAsia

Palm Oil Detectives | Auckland

Palm Oil Detectives, Auckland. Gefällt 2.735 Mal · 49 Personen sprechen darüber. A collective of like-minded artists, writers, photographers, musicians and wildlife conservationists who share and...

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Palm Oil Detectives

2025-08-23 15:41:00

Protecting India’s Tigers Saves One Million Tonnes of CO2

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#India‘s fifty year long Project #Tiger has been a successful conservation project. A new research study finds that protecting tigers and their rainforest home has additional benefits to #carbonemissions, saving 1 million tonnes of CO2 from being spewed into the atmosphere. Conserving tigers as an iconic and legendary species is deeply ingrained into the world’s collective imagination. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

Cover Image: Tiger in Rajasthan, India by Craig Jones Wildlife Photography

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The growing population of #India’s mighty #tiger 🐯🐅is lauded as a conservation success story. However more remains to be done to safeguard India’s #forests #animals and #mangroves for the future 🙏🇮🇳🪷 #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8V5

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Good news 📰 #Tigers 🐯🐅🧡 have increased in population in #India 🇮🇳 due to successful #conservation. Extending these protections to areas where #palmoil encroaches on #rainforest #ecosystem is essential. #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-8V5

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Written by Simon Evans, Principal Lecturer in Ecotourism, Anglia Ruskin University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Tiger by Dalida Innes Wildlife Photography
The year 2023 coincided with the 50th anniversary of India’s groundbreaking Project Tiger, an innovative programme designed to rescue the country’s iconic big cat from the precipice of extinction. In April, as part of these celebrations, prime minister Narendra Modi announced that tiger numbers in India have now surpassed 3,000, representing more than 70% of the wild tigers in the world.

From an initial investment in 1973 of just nine dedicated tiger reserves, India now protects 54 such areas. It adds up to an area in excess of 75,000 sq kilometres, or about 2% of the country.

Now, new research in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution has identified a link between tiger conservation and the fight against climate change. Tigers are very adaptable and the exact same subspecies, the Bengal tiger, can be found scattered across India in jungles, mangroves and so-called “dry forests”. These habitats might seem very different, but the common link is of course lots of trees.

According to the authors of the new study, the strict protection provided within India’s network of tiger reserves has avoided huge amounts of deforestation. And by preserving forests that would have otherwise been chopped down, between 2007 and 2020, tiger protection may have contributed to over 1 million tonnes of avoided carbon emissions.

A million tonnes of carbon might sound like a lot, though it won’t put a huge dent in climate change. India alone emits about 2.7 billion tonnes each year (albeit very little per capita). But that isn’t the point.
India’s tiger reserves are spread across most of the country. India National Tiger Conservation Authority, CC BY-SA
In a monetary sense, that avoided deforestation and saved carbon can be equated to US$6.24 million (£5.06 million) in direct carbon offsets and, if wider “ecosystem services” such as watershed management and the provision of fuel and firewood are considered, this figure could rise to as much as US$92 million (£75m). The authors of the new research suggest that this could be a gamechanger for tiger protection, as it could be funded through carbon offset schemes.

There are critics who view India expanding its tiger reserves as an economic extravagance, one that brings the animals into conflict with humans and criminalises local communities (some of whom have been moved out of reserves) for living as they have always done. But in a neoliberal world where everything has a price tag, the future of vulnerable wildlife often depends on its ability to justify its own survival. And if carbon storage can be added to the list of reasons to protect tiger habitat, this in turn may provide fresh impetus for conservation.
Strolling into Tadoba reserve in central India. RealityImages / shutterstock

Still lots of habitat left

Even after centuries of deforestation and an expansion of farmland to feed a billion people, there still seems to be land available. In a recent interview in The Hindu newspaper the prominent tiger biologist Ullas Karanth made it clear that India has the potential, on paper at least, to quadruple its wild tiger numbers over the longer term. According to Karanth, there is still an estimated 380,000 sq kilometres of potential habitat available, just 20% of which is currently under strict protection and containing tigers.
Pilibhit Tiger Reserve along the border with Nepal, one of 54 reserves in India. Sourabh Bharti / shutterstock
The loss of their forests is still the main reason why tigers are threatened. But this meant there are habitats available that have been emptied of tigers by hunting, and which cannot be colonised by new populations since there are no safe “wildlife corridors” connecting one patch of forest to another.

If these vacant forests were given their proper value and managed with both (reintroduced) big cats and the climate in mind, India could further cement its position as the world leader in tiger conservation. Eventually it could start exporting surplus tigers to repopulate sites in neighbouring countries where Bengal tigers have declined (the many tigers in captivity, especially in the US, are too used to humans to be released into the wild).

This is a win-win situation. It would also help India to re-establish its green credentials during an era in which the country’s emphasis on development and business has conflicted with parallel efforts to protect its natural environment.

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Written by Simon Evans, Principal Lecturer in Ecotourism, Anglia Ruskin University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

ENDS

---

Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

Keep reading

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Keep reading

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Keep reading

Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

Keep reading

Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis

Keep reading

Frill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii

Keep reading

---

Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more

---

---

Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• WordPress
• YouTube
• Mail
• Mastodon

Enter your email address

Sign Up

Join 3,174 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

Read more

Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…

twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

#AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalExtinction #animalIntelligence #animalRights #animals #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #carbonemissions #conservation #deforestation #ecosystem #forests #India #mangroves #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #rainforest #tiger #TigerPantheraTigris #tigers

The Problems with Palm Oil

Discover the environmental and social issues caused by palm oil production. Learn about its impacts on wildlife, indigenous communities, and how to take action with Palm Oil Detectives

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