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An Eight-Year Life History of a Primate Community in the Colombian Llanos

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Primates in Fragments

Part of the book series: Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects ((DIPR))

Abstract

Forest areas in Colombian Llanos are highly degraded due to the expansion of palm oil crops, petrol extraction, and other human interferences, making primate species in Colombia more susceptible to population reduction and local extinction. An eight-year study of primate density monitoring was conducted in five forest fragments of different sizes in San Martín, Colombian Llanos. Alouatta seniculus, Sapajus apella, Callicebus ornatus, Saimiri sciureus albigena, and Aotus brumbacki were present in the fragments. Direct visual contacts were made in small (1–10 ha) and medium (10–100 ha) fragments. Primate density in an extra-large fragment (1,050 ha) was calculated using line transect method. Results showed that population density for A. seniculus ranged from 0.81 to 78.57 ind/km2, S. apella, 0.95–52.98 ind/km2, C. ornatus, 1.07–54.76 ind/km2, S. s. albigena, 3.85–170.24 ind/km2, and A. brumbacki, 3.26–13.10 ind/km2. Most species reported in small and medium fragments have a higher population density than those reported in other studies, except for A. seniculus, which fell in a normal range. Densities in the extra-large fragment for Alouatta, Callicebus, and Sapajus are similar to that reported in continuous forest, while densities for Saimiri was lower than that reported for continuous forest. Variations that affected population density among fragments are due to differences in-group composition per species, vegetation, and size of the fragment. All primate species present in this region use fencerows as part of the landscape matrix to cross among fragments. Increasing the connectivity between fragments is necessary in this region to improve sustainability of this primate community.

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Acknowledgments

I am grateful to the Sanchez-Rey and Novoa families, owners of the Santa Rosa and Arrayanes farms, for their hospitality and logistic support. Thanks to Enciso family for logistic support at Las Unamas Reserve (Las Pampas Zone). I also thank German Espinosa and Yolima Gonzalez for their support in the field, and Hou-Chu Chen and Laura Marsh for their comments to improve this manuscript. Work during 2004 to 2007 has private support. Idea Wild gave me equipment for this and other projects during the past years. Work in 2009 and 2012 was supported by IEA Grants (Conservación Internacional—Colombia, Fundación Omacha and Fondo para la Acción Ambiental).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Management, Queensland University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Xyomara Carretero-Pinzón

  2. ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia

    Xyomara Carretero-Pinzón

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  1. Xyomara Carretero-Pinzón
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Correspondence to Xyomara Carretero-Pinzón .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Global Conservation Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

    Laura K. Marsh

  2. Department of Anthropology, McGill School of Environment, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Colin A. Chapman

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Carretero-Pinzón, X. (2013). An Eight-Year Life History of a Primate Community in the Colombian Llanos. In: Marsh, L., Chapman, C. (eds) Primates in Fragments. Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8839-2_12

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