Hunting, pet trade, and forest size effects on population viability of a critically endangered Neotropical primate, Sapajus xanthosternos (Wied‐Neuwied, 1826)

Abstract

The yellow-breasted capuchin monkey (Sapajus xanthosternos) is one of the seven Brazilian primates that are currently threatened with extinction. Although the species is known to be threatened by habitat loss, hunting, and illegal pet trade, few data exist on how these threats influence its long-term population persistence. We conducted population viability analyses (PVAs) to estimate minimum viable populations of S. xanthosternos under 10 threat scenarios (i.e., varying hunting pressure and varying number of infants captured for the pet trade) for five forest fragments with different estimated carrying capacities (K). We also estimated the minimum forest fragment size required to sustain viable populations living under the same 10 threat scenarios, based on critical numbers of K obtained in sensitivity tests, below which the population would be unviable. Our PVAs suggests that hunting has a higher impact on population viability in comparison to threats from the pet trade. Annual losses of adult and young females from hunting had the most detrimental effect on population persistence under all forest fragment sizes. Such hunting pressure is not sustainable for populations living in areas ≤3,460 ha, since these areas may not support populations of ≥84 individuals. The seven largest of the 13 protected areas currently harboring capuchins should be effective at maintaining viable populations in the long term even under the greatest threat scenarios we modeled. Other large forest patches, mainly in the western part of the species distribution, are recommended as priority areas for protection to increase the chances of capuchins' survival for the long term. In addition, forest fragments of ≤782.8 ha cannot maintain viable populations, even when there are no threats from hunting or from captures for the pet trade. Increased law enforcement is necessary to prevent the hunting and capture of capuchins, especially within larger forest fragments. Am. J. Primatol. 78:950-960, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Primeira Avaliação Do Status De Conservação Dos Mamíferos Do Estado Da Bahia, Brasil

“…Das 33 espécies com registros em UC, apenas nove possuem Análises de Viabilidade Populacional (AVP). Entre elas, somente os primatas Leontopithecus chrysomelas e Sapajus xanthosternos possuem populações viáveis em UC no estado, em parte dos cenários modelados nas AVP (Zeigler et al 2010, Silva et al 2016, com destaque para a REBIO de Una, que pode manter populações viáveis de ambas, se considerada a conservação das florestas existentes em seu entorno.…”

Multidisciplinary studies of wildlife trade in primates: Challenges and priorities

“…The impact of hunting on primate populations at local scales has been demonstrated by multiple studies in multiple regions (e.g., da Silva et al, ; de Thoisy, Renoux, & Julliot, ; Kümpel, Milner‐Gulland, Rowcliffe, & Cowlishaw, ; Linder & Oates, ; Nijman, ; Nuñez‐Iturri & Howe, ; Nuñez‐Iturri, Olsson, & Howe, ; Peres, ; Remis & Kpanou, ; Rosin & Swamy, ; Rovero, Mtui, Kitegile, & Nielsen, ). Hunting of primates at local scales is predominately related to supporting subsistence needs, while also providing a source of income (Alves, Souto, & Barboza, ; Brashares, Golden, Weinbaum, Barrett, & Okello, ; Cronin et al, ; Linder, Sawyer, & Brashares, ; Nekaris, Shepherd, Starr, & Nijman, ).…”

Peer Review #2 of "Conservation implications of primate trade in China over 18 years based on web news reports of confiscations (v0.1)"

“…Unsustainable harvest of wild animals for the pet trade has already led to population decline and collapse of many species (Da Silva et al, 2016;Svensson et al, 2016). In addition, individuals in the illegal market are often handled and transported under appalling conditions, creating an animal welfare concern (Reuter & Schaefer, 2016;Fuller et al, 2017).…”