Northern Muriqui Monkeys: Behavior, Demography, and Conservation
The northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus ) is a critically endangered primate species, endemic to the Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil. Long-term data from one of the largest populations, which inhabits the 957-ha forest at the RPPN Feliciano M
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Northern Muriqui Monkeys: Behavior, Demography, and Conservation Karen B. Strier
Northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) mother and infant at the RPPN Feliciano Miguel Abdala. (Photograph by Fernanda P. Tabacow)
K.B. Strier (*) Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1180 Observatory Drive Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA e-mail: [email protected] J. Yamagiwa and L. Karczmarski (eds.), Primates and Cetaceans: Field Research and Conservation of Complex Mammalian Societies, Primatology Monographs, DOI 10.1007/978-4-431-54523-1_12, © Springer Japan 2014
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K.B. Strier
Abstract The northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) is a critically endangered primate species, endemic to the Atlantic forest of southeastern Brazil. Long-term data from one of the largest populations, which inhabits the 957-ha forest at the RPPN Feliciano Miguel Abdala in Caratinga, Minas Gerais, provides insights into the dynamics between behavior, demography, and conservation. With some 328 individuals as of June 2012, this population has quintupled since systematic monitoring began in 1982, and it now represents roughly 33 % of the species. This rapid expansion can be attributed to female-biased infant sex ratios and high survivorship during the first two decades of research. However, male-biased infant sex ratios, compounded by reduced survivorship among dispersing females compared to patrilocal males, have been documented in recent years. The adult sex ratio is projected to become increasingly male biased as these cohorts mature, and the population growth rate is expected to decline. Moreover, demographic fluctuations are expected to affect males and females differently because of sex differences in dispersal patterns and social dynamics. Specifically, the strong affiliative relationships that have persisted among philopatric males are predicted to be sensitive to increases in both the absolute and relative number of adult males, resulting in higher levels of male competition and possible disruptions in male social networks. This case study illustrates the importance of long-term behavioral data for estimating population viabilities and identifying conservation priorities for this and other critically endangered species. Keywords Behavioral plasticity • Brachyteles hypoxanthus • Conservation Demography • Dispersal • Life history • Northern muriqui • Population viability • Reproductive rates • Sex ratios
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Introduction
Long-term field studies provide unique sources of data on the demography and life histories of wild primates (Strier and Mendes 2009, 2012). These data are necessary for realistic assessments of the viability of endangered populations (Coulson et al. 2001), and they also provide important insights into population fluctuations over time (Durant 2000; Metcalf and Pavard 2007; Strier and Ives 2012). Fluctuations in the demographic and life history variables that influence population viabilities, such as reproductive rates, sex ratios, and survival probabilities, are also known to have corresp
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