Ecology and conservation of primates in northwestern Peru
The dry forests of the Neotropics are endangered ecosystems, where only 10% of their initial forest cover remains. The dry forest of Peru and Ecuador is no stranger to this scenario, being a refuge for two primates in danger of extinction: the Ecuadorian white capuchin monkey (Cebus aequatorialis) categorized as Critically Endangered, and the black howler monkey (Alouatta palliata aequatorialis) categorized as Vulnerable. Although these species are of great concern for conservation, research in the only protected area that houses these species in Peru, the Amotapes-Mangrove Biosphere Reserve, is extremely scarce.
This project’s main objective is to determine the distribution and abundance of both primates in the Cerros de Amotape National Park, as well as describe their fundamental habitat requirements. In addition, environmental education activities will be developed in the villages surrounding the National Park to increase awareness of wildlife and highlight the importance of primates in dry tropical forests. By the end of this project, we will have identified areas with the presence of primates within the National Park and correlated environmental variables to predict future areas of occurrence.