CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

The benefits to researchers of capturing and collaring free-ranging primates are numerous,but so are the actual and potential costs to the animals. We present the results of a study that had two aims: 1- to evaluate quantitatively the possible demographic long-term costs of radio-collaring a freeranging primate species, and 2) to evaluate qualitatively the costs to the animals and the overall benefits to the research program that results from monitoring a large number of groups with collared individuals during many years. Between 2000 and 2009 we have captured, re-captured and radiocollared 146 owl monkeys (Aotus azarai) to study the behavior, demography, and genetics of this species. To evaluate the potential long-term costs of the collaring procedures on the population we compared the demographic composition of groups (n=20) in our core study area with those of undisturbed groups (n=20) in a control area within the same forest. Groups in both areas ranged in size between two and five individuals. Surprisingly, group size tended to be larger among the study groups due to more infants and juveniles in those groups than in the control groups. The benefits to the research program have included, among others, the reliable identification of individuals, increased sample sizes, the recovery of specimens, studies of dispersal, outreach activities, and conservation education. Still, some of the benefits only become tangible when the project persists on time, is fully approved and supported by local authorities, has broad community participation, as well as conservation and education goals. Thus, any serious initiative to capture and collars individuals should be the result of an extremely careful evaluation of benefits and costs.