Threat Analysis of Forest Fragmentation and Degradation for Peruvian Primates

Abstract

Peru has 55 primate taxa (including all species and subspecies), a third of which are threatened. The major drivers of habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation are grazing, forestry, agriculture and transport infrastructure. Other activities such as hunting exacerbate these threats. We assessed the threats from degradation and fragmentation facing Peruvian primates to aid in the design and implementation of mitigation strategies. Through GIS-based mapping, statistical modeling and specialist assessments, we evaluated all primate taxa using the IUCN Conservation Measures Partnership Unified Classifications of Direct Threats across five categories (direct threats to primates, threats to habitat, causes of fragmentation, factors exacerbating fragmentation and threats to primates and habitats as a consequence of fragmentation), highlighting which were most common and most severe. Our results showed that all primate taxa were affected by degradation and fragmentation in Peru. The most common and severe direct threat was hunting, whereas housing and urban development, smallholder crop farming, smallholder grazing and large-scale logging were the most common and severe threats across the other categories. The families Cebidae and Atelidae face the highest overall threat. Our analysis showed that the current IUCN listing of Leontocebus leucogenys [LC] underestimates the true threat level this species faces and that Lagothrix lagothricha tschudii [DD] should be listed under one of the threat categories. In Peru, the need for mitigating the threat of habitat fragmentation is clear. To ensure the survival of Peru’s diverse primate taxa, forest connectivity needs to be maintained or recovered through the protection and restoration of key areas considering their biological and social needs.

Diversity and prevalence of zoonotic infections at the animal-human interface of primate trafficking in Peru

“…In the United Kingdom, squirrel monkeys, tamarins, and marmosets are commonly kept as pets, and there are currently no prohibitions on keeping any primates as pets [ 126 , 127 ]. The lack of enforcement regarding captive-bred origin often results in ‘legal’ pets imported from countries where legal extraction and trade are not feasible [ 128 , 129 ]. Implementing bans on pet monkey ownership would demonstrate the commitment of consumer countries to curbing wildlife trafficking while safeguarding One Health.…”

Genomic insights into ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolated from non-human primates in the Peruvian Amazon

“…Peru boasts an wide biodiversity of neotropical fauna residing in different regions of the Peruvian Amazon ( 13 ), including various NHP classified into 55 taxa comprising species and subspecies. Around 30% of these are designated as “threatened with extinction,” five as “near threatened” and five more as “data deficient,” according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) ( 14 ). However, few studies have investigated AMR in Peruvian Amazon wildlife, and only one has reported antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae from semi-captive NHP of Ateles , Callicebus , and Lagothrix genus, with E. coli the most prevalent enterobacteria ( 15 ), but not detected their antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs).…”

Development of Land Cover and Carbon Storage in Plawangan Hill of Gunung Merapi National Park, Yogyakarta, Using Landsat Data Series 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2023

“…However, a number of anthropogenic and natural variables affect the extent to which forest land cover extends. It is crucial to recognize that forest land cover is also increasingly threatened by deforestation, fragmentation, and degradation (Voigt et al, 2021;Shanee et al, 2023). These are all fuelled by factors such as shifting land use, urbanization, climate change, and natural catastrophes such as volcanic eruptions, floods, and natural forest fires.…”