Project Description

The Problem
Road development in the Talamanca region has hindered travel between forest patches for several species of tree-dwelling animals, most notably mantled howler monkeys and sloths. While paved roads and power lines are undoubtedly beneficial for area residents, they come at a cost to the wildlife using the adjacent forests. Many residents are well aware of the problem in relation to sloths. You don’t have to spend much time along the Puerto Viejo-Manzanillo road to observe one trying to cross the road in search of more Guarumo, which is a sign that food resources are too sparsely distributed on the Talamanca landscape. However, many people don’t realize the problem this has created for the numerous groups of howler monkeys in the region. It is often assumed that howler monkeys will not cross the road by ground if they have access to adequate food resources in isolated forest fragments, which are abundant in the region. However, howler monkey society demands that both males and females leave their natal group (the group they are born into) before reaching sexual maturity as a natural form of inbreeding avoidance. Furthermore, some animals emigrate multiple times during their life span. Hence, travel between groups is a necessary but unsafe task for several howler monkeys in the Talamanca region. These animals are vulnerable to oncoming traffic and predation from dogs. In addition, this terrestrial behavior poses a hazard to motorists.

Project Objectives
* Construct arboreal pathways (bridges) that will act as artificial corridors between forest fragments and over roads in order to connect tree-dwelling animals and their food resources. The bridges connect trees known to be used by howler monkeys for feeding or traveling and are positioned at a height that is useful for the monkeys, sturdy in the trees, and works around the power lines. Similar projects in nearby Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica as well as Belize, Brazil, Kenya, and Tanzania have helped prevent road kills and aided in the wellbeing of the monkey populations using habitat that is transected by roads or fragmented. The period between bridge installation and first use by howler monkeys will be important data to contribute to what is known about bridge use in primates.
* Collect data on primate behavior and ecology in the forest fragments.

* Plant natural corridors in areas of need in order to provide natural arboreal pathways for future generations of animals and distribute information on feeding tree species to residents interested in reforesting or maintaining howler monkey and sloth feeding trees.

* Promote awareness of the issue and encourage involvement among area residents and domestic and international guests of the Talamanca region.

Project Status and Future Directions
The first two monkey bridges were installed on June 26, 2006 near the Playa Chiquita between the Miraflores Lodge and Hotel Punta Cocles. Student volunteers from El Zota Biological Field Station’s Primate Behavior and Conservation Class participated in the project by distributing project brochures, planting seedlings, collecting behavioral and demographic information on the howler monkeys along the Puerto Viejo-Manzanillo road and measuring forest structure along the Playa Chiquita. The Instituto de Costarricense de Electricidad arrived on the scene to help install bridges around the electric and telephone lines. Workers from the local area and Guacimo as well as ICE worked hard all day long to ensure that the two bridges were up and in good condition before sunset.

Currently, plans to construct more bridges are underway and a long-term maintenance schedule is in place to keep the bridges in good condition. In addition, we will be collecting information from residents about the animals surrounding their property and promoting community awareness regarding the project’s significance. Howler monkey data collection will focus on documenting group size and composition, and their distribution in the fragmented forests. Additionally, we will study the coastal and inland vegetation, and monitor forest disturbance. This information will help us determine the locations of future bridges. Continued support from local residents, visitors, the Costa Rican government, and the conservation community are crucial to the ongoing success of this project.