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Survey of black howler (Alouatta pigra) and spider (Ateles geoffroyi) monkeys in the Mayan sites of Calakmul and Yaxchilán, Mexico and Tikal, Guatemala

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Abstract

Surveys of populations of spider and howler monkeys were conducted at the Mayan sites of Calakmul and Yaxchilán, Mexico and Tikal, Guatemala. The forests in which these sites are found are part of the largest landmass of tropical rain forests present in Mesoamerica, encompassing about 4 million ha. Triangulation of monkey vocalization combined with ground surveys was used to determine the presence of howler and spider monkey groups. Howler monkey mean troop size at these sites varied from 6.6±2.1 individuals in Yaxchilán to 7.5±1.9 in Calakmul to 8.7±2.2 in Tikal. Density estimates varied from 12.8 individuals/km2 in Yaxchilán to 15.2 individuals/km2 in Calakmul to 17.8 individuals/km2 in Tikal. Mean spider monkey subgroup size varied from 4.7±2.6 individuals in Tikal to 5.6±3.0 individuals in Yaxchilán to 7.7±3.8 individuals in Calakmul. Spider monkey density varied from 17.0 individuals/km2 in Yaxchilán to 17.2 individuals/km2 in Calakmul to 56.4 individuals/km2 in Tikal. All sightings of both howler and spider monkeys at the three sites were in undisturbed rain forest vegetation and spider monkeys in general were more frequently sighted at higher tree heights than howlers. We discuss the value of further acquiring data on howler and spider monkey populations existing in extensive forest tracts and on the conservation value for both primate species of the forests surrounding the Mayan ruins found in this area of Mesoamerica.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Cleveland Zoo Scott Neotropical Fund for support to conduct this study. We thank the Mexican Institute of Anthropology (INAH) for permission to work in Calakmul and Yaxchilán and thank the authorities of Tikal National Park for permission to conduct the primate surveys and for providing invaluable logistical support. LL acknowledges support from the School of Liberal Arts at University of Texas. SVB acknowledges the support of Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores de México and of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. MM thanks Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Universidad de San Carlos, Guatemala, for support. We also thank three anonymous reviewers and M. Andrews for valuable suggestions to improve the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Primatología, Estación de Biología Los Tuxtlas, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 176, San Andrés Tuxtla, Veracruz, Mexico

    Alejandro Estrada & Emilio Barrueta

  2. Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA

    Leandra Luecke

  3. Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA

    Sarie Van Belle

  4. Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacia, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala

    Marleny Rosales Meda

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  1. Alejandro Estrada
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  2. Leandra Luecke
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  3. Sarie Van Belle
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  4. Emilio Barrueta
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  5. Marleny Rosales Meda
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Correspondence to Alejandro Estrada.

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Estrada, A., Luecke, L., Van Belle, S. et al. Survey of black howler (Alouatta pigra) and spider (Ateles geoffroyi) monkeys in the Mayan sites of Calakmul and Yaxchilán, Mexico and Tikal, Guatemala. Primates 45, 33–39 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-003-0062-8

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