More than half of the world's primates on endangered species list

Experts highlight threat to lesser-known apes and monkeys from large-scale habitat destruction and illegal wildlife trade

More than half the world's primates, including apes, lemurs and monkeys, are facing extinction, international experts warned on Tuesday.

The population crunch is the result of large-scale habitat destruction - particularly the burning and clearing of tropical forests - as well as the hunting of primates for food and the illegal wildlife trade.