Mesoamerica

Tourism_Squirrel Monkey_Costa Rica

Emma_Hemmerle — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 14:07:29 +0000

Tourism_Squirrel Monkey_Costa Rica Emma_Hemmerle Fri, 02/11/2022 - 14:07

Affiliation

IIED

Date Of Record Entry

Fri, 02/11/2022 - 12:00

Type of wild species covered by the record

Wild species used in its natural habitat

Stage of the value chain covered by the record

Unknown/not recorded

Record Source

“Grey” literature (e.g., NGO reports, case studies, non-detriment studies; project documents etc. (not necessarily peer-reviewed))

Squirrel monkey viewing and tourism in Costa Rica

Decreasing

Is the species endemic HIDE

Yes

Population Status

Unknown/not recorded

Formal international protection in place

International Level

CITES listing

National Level

Formal national protection in place

In Costa Rica, it is protected in Corcovado National Park and in Golfito National Wildlife Refuge.

Threats/Pressures impacting the conservation of the species

Agriculture

Illegal/Unregulated Logging and Wood Extraction

Illegal/Unregulated Hunting

Residential and Commercial Development

Transportation and Service Corridors

Additional Details (if available)

The direct impact of viewing by tourists consists
of some disturbance of the monkeys, including cases of
taunting. Indirect impacts are a revival of the capture of
monkeys for pets and loss of habitat due to expansion of
tourism infrastructure.

Population Trend

Unknown/not recorded

Sub-national Level

Unknown/not recorded

Additional Details (if available)

The major threat to this species across its range is habitat loss, primarily due to agriculture and logging. In Panama, some specific threats are deforestation for farming, cattle ranching, teak plantations, palm oil plantations, urban investments, hydroelectric and other industrial activities. Other threats are the use of herbicides and live capture for the pet trade (Miranda-Jiménez and Méndez-Carvajal 2012a). In Costa Rica, Solano (2007) reported five main threats to the conservation of Squirrel Monkeys besides forest fragmentation and habitat loss.

Crops such as maize (Zea mays), bananas (Musa spp.) and lychees (Nephelium lappaceum), due to the local inhabitants considering the monkeys a pest and then acting accordingly;
Exotic plantations such as palm oil (Elais guineensis) and teak and grey teak (Tectona grandis and Gmelina arborea); (note: the teak plantations are a threat as it is cut down and then squirrel monkeys can't connect to other areas)
Pet trade, this is not very common in the whole range for this subspecies and more common in the border with Panama, but some rescue centres report new arrivals on the birth season apparently from captured monkeys;
Electrical wires, there are several spots where monkeys are found dead due to electrical wires contact;
Hunting dogs, and dogs in general, some dead squirrel monkeys were reported attacked and dead by hunting dogs and less commonly by domestic dogs unattended.

Name

Emma Hemmerlé

Scientific Name

Saimiri oerstedi

Common Name(s)

Central American Squirrel Monkey

Black-crowned Central American Squirrel Monkey

Type of Use

Non-Extractive

How is the primary use carried out?

Watching/experiencing terrestrial, aerial, or aquatic fauna and flora in the wild (e.g., birdwatching, snorkeling, wildlife watching)

Are specific characteristics/traits being targeted?

Unknown/not recorded

Purpose of Use

Income generation from trade at individual or household or community

Recreational

Additional Details (if available)

The monkeys, are a popular tourist attraction. In 1988, it
was determined that 75% of the tourists that visit Manuel
Antonio do so to observe nature: mainly animals,
including the squirrel monkey.

What is the main end use for any living organisms, parts or products taken/extracted?

Conservation Management (translocation, restoration, ex-situ breeding)

What is the trend in the level of offtake within the period covered by this record?

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