Visitor effect on the behavior of a group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) maintained at an island in Lake Catemaco, Veracruz/Mexico
Por:
Perez-Galicia, Sergio, Miranda-Anaya, Manuel, Canales-Espinosa, Domingo, Munoz-Delgado, Jairo
Publicada:
1 nov 2017
Resumen:
We analyzed the effect of human visitors on the behavior of a group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) kept on a small tourist island. Although the spider monkey is a common species in zoos, there are very few specific studies on visitor effects on these monkeys. We conducted behavioral observations on the group of spider monkeys to evaluate the effect of visitors. We also used actimetry devices to measure the variations in the spider monkeys' locomotor activity associated with human presence. With regard to the effect on behavior, we found an increase in self-directed behaviors and a decrease in vocalization, both associated with human presence. Moreover, our results suggest that when people feed monkeys, there is an increase in agonistic behaviors. On the other hand, we found that changes in activity levels in response to human presence vary among individuals. We conclude that changes in spider monkeys' behavior could provide evidence of the negative effect of visitors in our study conditions. Although we discuss the differences in activity levels due to differences in social position, further research is required this topic. Our results can be used to inform management plans for this species in captivity. Improving this relationship between humans and non-human primates through tourism education programs would benefit ecotourism and therefore species conservation programs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Filiaciones:
Perez-Galicia, Sergio:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Grad Program Biol Sci, Coyoacan, DF, Mexico
Inst Nacl Psiquiatria Ramon Fuente Muniz, Dept Etol, Direcc Neurociencias, Chronoecol & Human Ethol Lab, Tlalpan, DF, Mexico
Miranda-Anaya, Manuel:
Univ Nacl Autonoma Mexico, Inst Neurobiol, Dept Neurobiol Dev & Neurophysiol, Santiago De Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico
Canales-Espinosa, Domingo:
Univ Veracruzana, Head Off Acad Area Biol & Agr Sci, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
Munoz-Delgado, Jairo:
Inst Nacl Psiquiatria Ramon Fuente Muniz, Dept Etol, Direcc Neurociencias, Chronoecol & Human Ethol Lab, Tlalpan, DF, Mexico
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