Abstract: This project will collect ecological information regarding the use both primate species give to vegetation covers types in a fragmented landscape. I'll evaluate activities carried out by primates in each vegetation type and then relate them to the landscape's level of physical connectivity in two areas with different fragmentation degrees. Ethnobiological information will also be gathered from the traditional ecological knowledge of local women and men regarding the conservation of these primates. A long-term project has carried out efforts to increase forest cover and landscape connectivity by environmental service payment to local farmers. The information gathered in this study will be used to formulate conservation and management strategies for populations of both threatened and reduced primates in Costa Rica and also promote conservation of other wildlife species that share the same habitat. The inclusion of local knowledge will improve the viability of the proposed conservation strategies.

Marleny Rosales may be contacted regarding her project at: marleny_rm@yahoo.com.mx or marleny.rosales@gmail.com

Live fences of Bursera simarouba

Interview to don Ananias y doņa Denni

Photos by Marleny Rosales

Project Update: February 2007

The study of primates can provide us with valuable information needed to promote conservation of biodiversity at landscape level because they play important roles as predators, seed dispersers and agents of regeneration within the wildlife community of tropical habitats. The main objective of this research project is to generate both ecological (land cover and landscape features use) and etnobiological information (traditional ecological knowledge) of two primate species, Alouatta palliata and Cebus capuncinus, in the agroforestal landscape of Esparza. The specific objectives are: 1) Determine the use that six troops of each primate specie give to eight land cover types that lie within their home range and its buffer area, 2) Evaluate the relation between the presence of both species and landscape structure and connectivity variables (presence of forest patches, number and area of vegetation types, distances to nearest homologous vegetation patches and the use of natural and non-natural corridors) inside their home ranges and 3) Identify the perceptions and favorable and non-favorable practices done by local farmers regarding the conservation of both primate species in private lands.

The preliminary results gathered until now show that capuchin monkeys have considerably larger home ranges and also use more land cover types than howler monkeys. Both species have been seen using live fences and the ground to travel short distances, but capuchins have shown this behavior more frequently. The twelve study troops have at least one forest remnant inside their home ranges, which varies in type and size. According to the local perceptions of men and women, capuchin monkeys are considered problematic animals because they eat and/or damage corn crops and fruit trees that farmers use as a food source. Many traditional histories and tales have been gathered for both primate species in the area, which help to understand the relationships between local people and these primates that need to be considered for future management and conservation strategies. Right now, I'm carrying out the statistical analysis of the ecological and etnobiological data.