| Primate Conservation Biology: Considerations for Pitheciin Conservation Kyes, R., J.C. Bicca-Marques, H.L. Queiroz, J. Valsecchi, L. Jones-Engel, F. Huettmann & A.B. Rylands Many of the world’s naturally occurring primate populations are in the balance. Extinction of our most critically endangered primate species is inevitable during this century unless we are able to effect better conservation measures. Among the taxa at risk are the pitheciins. Located in northern and central South America, with essentially Amazonian geographic distributions, the pitheciins represent some of the least studied and most poorly understood species. Successful conservation programs, require a thorough understanding of a population’s status, its habitat, and the potential threats it faces. Our goal should be to broaden our assessment approach and standardize our data collection protocols to facilitate the acquisition of reliable, quantitative data that permit comparison on a global scale. Technological advances in equipment, computer modeling, remote sensing imagery, genetic and disease assessment are now available to facilitate a multivariate assessment of a population. As a case in point, efforts are underway to model extinction risk of the black uakari (Cacajao melanocephalus) at the Amanã Sustainable Development Reserve in Brazil, a population under considerable hunting pressure. By combining abundance estimates and ecological parameters with the use of Vortex, a population modeling program, we are able to generate a more complete assessment of risk and long-term predictions for sustainability. Coupled with conservation outreach education, comprehensive assessment approaches will allow a more pro-active approach toward pitheciin conservation and for primates worldwide. voltar a programação do simpósio |