Accra: The West African Primate Conservation Action (WAPCA) has urged for increased protection of endangered primates as the world observes International Primates Day on September 1, 2025. This call highlights the growing concerns about primate conservation, as 60 percent of primate species globally face the threat of extinction.
According to Ghana News Agency, WAPCA emphasized the significance of primates, noting their intelligence and social nature. These animals, ranging from monkeys to great apes, share many traits with humans and play a crucial role as seed dispersers, essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems. However, numerous primate species are threatened by habitat loss, poaching, and the illegal pet trade.
WAPCA, a non-governmental organization operating in Ghana and C´te d’Ivoire, focuses on safeguarding threatened primates and their habitats in West Africa through a ‘One Plan Approach’ to species conservation. The organization prioritizes the protection of critically endangered species such as Miss Waldron’s red colobus, white-thighed colobus, Roloway monkey, and the endangered white-naped mangabey.
The organization employs strategies like reserved breeding, research, community engagement, and conservation education to preserve biodiversity while supporting sustainable livelihoods for local communities. Recently, WAPCA successfully organized Mangabey Awareness Day (MAD 2025) on August 1, 2025, at the Accra Zoo, under the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission. The event, themed ‘Sustainable Consumption for Primate Conservation: Connecting Everyday Choices with Biodiversity Protection,’ emphasized the link between human lifestyles and the survival of the white-naped mangabey.
With biodiversity declining rapidly across West Africa, events like Mangabey Awareness Day and International Primates Day are crucial in educating and mobilizing communities, fostering a shared sense of responsibility. These initiatives serve as reminders that sustainable consumption is essential for the future of primates, people, and the planet.
WAPCA’s vision aligns with International Primates Day, illustrating that the challenges faced by the white-naped mangabey reflect a larger global issue: the protection of all primate species. As part of the celebrations, WAPCA and its partners have committed to expanding community outreach in forest-edge communities across the Eastern, Central, and Bono Regions to raise awareness about primate conservation.
These efforts aim to mitigate threats such as illegal logging and hunting, which contribute to habitat loss and degradation. By fostering awareness and encouraging behavioral change, WAPCA and its partners strive to cultivate a future generation dedicated to conservation and sustainable environmental practices in Ghana.
WAPCA calls for stronger collaboration among communities, researchers, government agencies, and civil society, emphasizing that protecting primates is crucial for securing the region’s shared future.