Even where primates still find ample habitat, they often face heavy hunting pressure, both from subsistence hunters and commercial hunting for bush meat, the pet trade and biomedical research. Tuxill discusses various primate conservation projects and their integration into both the landscapes and the societies in which they are situated. The struggle to save primates is no different from the struggle to conserve any other aspect of the planet's biological wealth. But what primates do better than other kinds of wildlife is to capture and return our gaze in kind, communicating the past, present, and future bonds we share with all life. Without the vociferous public support many other animals enjoy, reptiles may have a tough time weathering the growing threat of extinctions caused by the march of human development.
Youth points out that pollution is also taking a toll on reptiles.
For example, a chemical spill in Florida's Lake Apopka in 1980, combined with the constant infusion of agricultural chemicals from nearby farms, has severely disrupted reproduction in local alligator populations. Youth reviews the need for population and habitat surveys as well as the need for a partnership between local people, community organizations, and governments. Power of Choice Millions of people will soon be able to influence where their electricity comes from. As electric power industries move from monopoly structures to competitive markets, customers will have the opportunity to buy their electricity from less environmentally damaging sources. But, as Dunn reviews the issues, this promise will not be realized without appropriate oversight by government agencies or industry monitors.