International Primate Day

Primates are highly sentient, intelligent, and social beings. They form tight family groups, play with and care for each other, and nurture their young devotedly. Some species even use tools to forage, explore, communicate, and protect themselves.

On International Primate Day, why not celebrate these incredible primate species by learning more about them, the threats they face, and what you can do to protect them?

What is a primate?

A primate is any mammal that falls into a category of monkey, ape, lemur, loris, tarsier, or human. They are characterised by relatively large brains, forward-facing eyes, and grasping hands or feet.

When is International Primate Day?

International Primate Day (also known as World Primate Day) is celebrated on September 1st every year. It’s an opportunity to celebrate their unique characteristics and reflect on the plight of primates around the world. It’s also chance to highlight declining populations and the primate conservation efforts being made.

3 facts about primates

How many species of primates are there?

There are over 500 primate species. These include humans, gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, baboons, macaques, lemurs, and tarsiers.

What are the largest primates?

The largest living primate species is the Eastern gorilla, specifically the Eastern lowland gorilla. Males can weigh up to 180 kg and reach 170 cm tall.

Are primates mammals?

Primates are mammals. They are warm-blooded, have hair or fur, and feed their young with milk.

How to protect primates

Primates face a variety of threats, and many species face extinction:

• Habitat loss and fragmentation: Habitat destruction linked to farming, logging, and urban development is making it harder for primates to find food, find a mate, and raise their young.
• Animal tourism: Primates are being taken from the wild and bred in captivity for use in animal tourist attractions, including wildlife entertainment venues. Here, they live an unnatural and stressful life, and are forced into close contact with humans, in facilities that often fail to meet even basic welfare standards.
• Animal entertainment: Social media is fuelling a new type of primate cruelty. In “fake rescue” videos on YouTube, primates are filmed in staged scenarios. They’re set upon by a large predator, like a snake or crocodile, and then “rescued” by their human owners. Terrified primates live a life in captivity, facing endless distress and trauma.
• Animal trade: Primates are hunted and sold as exotic pets and for commercial exploitation. They’re killed for bushmeat and for use in traditional medicine.

To protect primates, on Primate Day and beyond, you can:

• Support habitat protection and climate action
• Travel responsibly, with tour operators that don’t support animal attractions
• Report and avoid interacting with fake primate rescue or animal cruelty videos on social media
• Support organisations working to protect wildlife and end exploitation

Primate day FAQs

Are humans primates?

Humans are a species of primate within the great ape family. Like most other primates, we have large brains in relation to our body weight, flat nails, forward-facing eyes, and we can grasp with our hands. We share common ancestors with all primates, including chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans.

Are primates monkeys?

All monkeys are primates. But not all primates are monkeys. Other groups within the primate category include apes, tarsiers, lemurs, and humans.

Are sloths primates?

Sloths are not primates. Like many primate species, they like to live in trees, but sloths are actually more closely related to anteaters and armadillos. Unlike primates, sloths have long, curved claws instead of fingers and toes.