Half of Primates are now endangered to becoming extinct, and the cause is mainly due to two things, habitat loss, and the pet trade, illegal pet trade. There is a massive clearance of Tropical Rainforests, which many species, or most species, of Primates reliy on for both food, and shelter. The clearance of rainforest is happening because of human demand for things like palm oil, wood, and clearing for bio-fuel plantations, and farming land.
Therefore, it raises the question of, do we base these types of studies on what species really are the most endangered? Or, do we places species on these lists because they are the species which we want to save the most?
Given that there are far more endangered species, lesser commercialized, and therefore, unknown species than say, the Tiger, Gorilla, and Panda, it is probably the latter, that we aim to save species, not on which are most endangered, but, those which appeal to us the most.
Yet, in taking this approach, is immoral, and even means we base conservation on an unhealthy mandate.