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Vassar College

Publication Date

Fall 2022

Program Name

Ecuador: Comparative Ecology and Conservation

Abstract

Poeppig’s woolly monkey (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii), a species of primate native to the Amazonian regions of western Brazil, eastern Ecuador, and northeastern Peru, is classified as endangered by the IUCN. These large, frugivorous primates are threatened by habitat loss and climate change as a result of human interference. Deforestation, hunting, petroleum mining, and illegal trafficking are all huge threats to this species. As a result of these pressures, their populations have decreased by at least 30% over the past three generations. However, as keystone seed dispersers, they are essential for Amazonian ecosystem health; without their seed dispersal services, a loss of up to 55% of tree richness could be observed in the Amazon. In response to this dire situation, primate rehabilitation and relocation projects have begun attempting to raise and relocate woolly monkeys to areas where their populations have dropped significantly. One of these projects, called Sumak Allpa, is run on a small island in Yasuní National Park, Ecuador. It currently houses 26 Lagothrix individuals, in preparation for future relocation. These individuals have historically separated into two troops, one composed of juveniles, and the other of adults. This study aims to monitor and document the behavior and vocalizations of both troops, and to analyze interactions between individuals and troops. Data regarding behavioral time allotment, spatial distribution, troop dynamics, and vocalizations was collected. Results showed that troops spend a majority of time (83.3%) foraging in the southwestern area of the island. Observations also revealed that the juvenile and adult troops have continued the eight year trend of increasing time spent in union. Lastly, six different types of vocalizations were observed and analyzed: chirp, whistle, wail, screech, howl, and chatter. The synthesis of this data reveals that Poeppig’s woolly monkey is an exceedingly social animal, and that their social welfare must be prioritized during their relocation process.

Disciplines

Biodiversity | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Forest Biology | Latin American Studies | Research Methods in Life Sciences | Zoology

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