Primate Rehabilitation Centre

Transcription

1 Primate Rehabilitation Centre Wildtracks, Belize Information Pack

2 Wildtracks Wildtracks is working towards the sustainable future of the natural resources for the people of Belize, through conservation, research, education and sustainable development. Wildtracks was established in 1990, and registered as a Belize non-profit organization in It implements its activities through four Wildtracks Programmes. Work is conducted under three primary Programme Areas: Conservation and Research Education and Outreach Sustainable Development The Primate Rehabilitation Centre is one of two national rehabilitation facilities hosted under the Conservation and Research Programme. Activities under these programme areas are financed through the Support Programme through volunteer support, income generation, grants and donations. Contact Details: Wildtracks P.O. Box 278 Belie City Belize Tel: (00 501) office@wildtracksbelize.org Website: Facebook: Conservation and Research Education and Outreach Sustainable Development Support Programme

3 Rehabilitation......preparing monkeys for their return to the wild

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5 The Primate Rehabilitation Centre The Primate Rehabilitation Centre has been established to fulfil four primary objectives: To assist Forest Department in ending the illegal pet trade in primates in Belize To receive and prepare confiscated and rescued primates for their return to the wild To release rehabilitated monkeys back into the wild, and monitor their progress as wild monkeys To develop and support conservation initiatives focused on increasing primate population viability in Belize The Wildlife Program Wildtracks works closely with the Wildlife Programme of the Forest Department (Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development). The Wildlife Programme is charged with the responsibility of protecting wildlife from hunting and other extractive activities, and enforces regulations for the sustainable management and protection of wildlife. It also works to improve the publics appreciation of wildlife and its role in the environment. These responsibilities are carried out through the establishment and enforcement of regulatory legislature. The Wildlife Programme works with other Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) towards the rehabilitation, relocation, and/or eventual release of wildlife.

6 Primates in Belize Belize is home to two species of primate the Yucatán black howler monkey (Alouatta pigra) and Geoffroy s spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi). Both are considered globally endangered, and Belize s populations are being pressured by increasing tropical forest clearance, and capture of young animals for the illegal wildlife trade. Yucatán Black Howler Monkey Alouatta pigra Local Names: Baboon, Saraguato Geoffroy s Spider Monkey Ateles geoffroyi Local Names: Monkey, Mono Endangered endangered ENDANGERED ENDANGERED ENDANGERED

7 Yucatán Black Howler Monkey Alouatta pigra Order: Family: Average Weight: Average Length: Primates Atelidae Males 7-8 kg (15 lb.); Females 5-6 kg (12 lb.) Body length: between 45 and 64 cm (20.5 and 25.2 in) Tail: Between 50 and 63 cm (20 and 24 in) Conservation Status: Endangered - It is estimated that this species will experience a decline approaching 60% over a period of three generations (30 years) based on past and current rates of habitat decline and continued hunting for food and capture for pets (IUCN The Yucatán black howler (Alouatta pigra) occurs in the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico and Belize, extending into northern and central Guatemala. It inhabits subtropical and tropical primary and secondary forests, particularly along river banks. Where forest has been cleared, they can be found in marginal habitat surrounded by pastures. This monkey is highly arboreal, spending the majority of its life in the tree tops and seldom coming to the ground. It lives in groups of between two and ten individuals, generally composed of one or two adult males, with a ratio of about 1.3 females for every male, and a number of young.. The howler monkey diet is primarily folivorous (mostly leaves), with a preference for species such as bri-bri, fig and ramon (breadnut), and supplemented by fruit. Troops will move into areas as trees start fruiting or come into leaf, and spend up to 70% of their day lying and sitting about quietly among the branches, fermenting leaves in their enlarged caecums. Distribution of the Yucatan black howler monkey (IUCN Redlist.org)

8 A group s home range can be between 3 and 25 hectares, and is defined by the distinctive howl that gives this species its name. The howls, heard echoing around the forest primarily at dawn and dusk, are amplified by the enlarged hyoid /larynx bone structure found in the males, which forms a resonating chamber. The calls allow groups to locate each other with minimal activity, avoiding conflicts over food resources. Yucatán black howler monkeys can live up to 20 years. Females reach sexual maturity at four years of age, and males between six and eight. Males leave their natal group upon reaching sexual maturity, but females generally remain within the same troop. In the 1950s, the howler monkey population in Belize was significantly reduced by a combination of yellow fever epidemic and hunting. Whilst populations have been recovering, and it is now illegal to hunt this species, full recovery to previous numbers and ranges has been limited by land use change, with populations unable to expand into previous areas due to loss of forest and forest connectivity. Increasing forest clearance is also isolating populations in small patches of farmland within agricultural landscapes, particularly within the sugar cane belt. There is an increasing threat from the illegal pet trade, with young animals being captured and sold on the black market, often being kept in poor conditions and maintained on an inadequate diet. These are the focus of the Forest Department s zero tolerance campaign.

9 Central American Spider Monkey Ateles geoffroyi Order: Family: Average Weight: Average Length: Primates Atelidae 5-9 kg (12-20 lb) Body length: between 34 and 60 cm (14 and 24 in) Tail: Between 52 and 80 cm (20 and 32 in) Conservation Status: Endangered - habitat loss across its range has been severe such that it is estimated that the species has declined by as much as 50% over the course of the past 45 years (three generations) (IUCN The range of the Central American spider monkey (or Geoffroy s spider monkey) extends throughout Central America, stretching from southeast Mexico to Panama. This endangered species has a fission-fusion social system, ranging from 22 and 40 individuals in an area dividing into smaller subgroups of between two and six individuals, with fluid and variable membership. Home ranges may exceed 2km², as this species requires large tracts of contiguous forest, with subgroups travelling far and wide through the canopy, foraging. Unlike the howler monkey, the spider monkey is largely frugivorous, with fruits making up to 80% of its diet. The remainder is composed of leaves, flowers, insects, honey and seeds. Spider monkeys are highly arboreal, seldom coming down to the ground. They tend to inhabit the upper canopy in relatively undisturbed forest, where they can move quickly through the trees, brachiating hand over hand over highly prehensile tail. To facilitate this movement, they have lost external signs of their thumbs, allowing them to swing through the trees more easily. Distribution of Geoffroy s spider monkey (adapted from IUCN Redlist.org)

10 Females generally have a single young, and invest heavily in infant care. The baby clings to the belly of the mother for about 4-5 months, after which it is transferred to the mother s back for another 6 months. They wean at about 2 years of age, but may well stay with the mother until they reach 3. As with howler monkeys, spider monkeys in Belize have two main threats the increasing fragmentation of large, contiguous tracts of forest, and the hunting of young for the illegal pet trade. Whilst there is a high demand for the young in the illegal pet trade, this species becomes unpredictable when older, quickly becoming frustrated and aggressive. Being large and very mobile when adult, spider monkeys require large enclosures whilst in rehabilitation, providing them with opportunities to exercise. This species is highly intelligent perhaps the most intelligent of the Neotropical primates, and as such requires constant stimulation through cage enrichment, to keep individuals from becoming bored and frustrated when in captivity a constant challenge during the rehabilitation process.

11 Primate Rehabilitation in Belize Why do monkeys need rehabilitation? Both howler and spider monkeys are endangered species, with populations declining at an alarming rate as forests are cleared and as they are hunted for their young. In Belize, it is illegal to keep monkeys as pets. Despite this, the mothers are often shot and killed to remove the young, which then are sold into the illegal pet trade. These animals can reach Wildtracks through one of two mechanisms: When reported, they are confiscated by the Forest Department, and transferred to Wildtracks When people discover that it is illegal to keep monkeys, or the animals get too old or unreliable, they can surrender them Belize has had a well-established and successful programme for the rehabilitation and release of illegally held pet monkeys for many years. Initially managed under the Belize Wildlife Care Centre, the rehabilitation programme was transferred to Wildtracks in late It has now expanded to be able to take in any and all monkeys that are surrendered or confiscated by the Forest Department, as well as any wild animals in need of assistance. A central goal of the Programme is to assist the Forest Department in its zero tolerance policy regarding primates as illegal pets, significantly reducing - if not ending - the illegal pet trade in monkeys in Belize, and to give all surrendered and confiscated monkeys the best possible chance to be returned to the wild. Wild monkeys are also sometimes in need of rescuing and rehabilitating, when youngsters fall from trees and get left behind during troop arguments, or when adults are attacked by dogs or hit by cars.

12 There are three main challenges to overcome with confiscated pet monkeys in Belize. These are: 1. To return the monkeys to good health and fitness. Many of the monkeys entering the Centre are in either chronic or acute ill-health as a result of inappropriate diet, inadequate housing, inadequate socialization and lack of veterinary care. This is often the result of ignorance rather than wilful neglect, with owners being unaware of the very specialist care needed to maintain the physical and mental health of primates. Excellent health and fitness are basic pre-requisites for release back into the wild, and are the first priority of the Centre. 3. To enable them to learn the skills needed for life in the forest. Confinement in small caging, or on the end of a chain, prevents the development of most of the skills needed by monkeys to live in the forest canopy: climbing, foraging, predator avoidance, spatial awareness and communication within a troop. It is critical that all monkeys develop these skills if they are to be released back into the wild. 2. To socialize the monkeys as monkeys. Virtually all monkeys entering the Centre have previously been kept in solitary confinement, without any contact whatsoever with other monkeys. Some have been kept as surrogate human children and are highly humanized; others have been caged or chained outdoors with very little contact with anyone or anything. Both howler and spider monkeys are highly social species that must learn to live and function as part of a troop if they are to thrive in the wild.

13 Arrival Monkeys come in to the Rehabilitation Centre at all ages some are very young far too young to be separated from their mothers. Others have been chained for years in solitary confinement. All arrive stressed, traumatised, often behaviourally challenged and often in ill health. New monkeys are quarantined for 30 days after arrival, to help reduce the risk of disease transmission to those already at the Centre. During this time they are screened for a number of possible pathogens, and kept under close observation. The young and very sick are housed inside, in the Nursery Unit, where they have access to 24 hour care and attention. The adults are kept as stress-free as possible during the quarantine process, helping to stabilize their behaviour and start improving their condition. They are assessed for integration with other monkeys considered as 'best fits', to start creating the release groups, or troops. Izzie's Tale High in the tree tops, a mother spider monkey clutched her eight month old baby tightly to her. Spotting her while hunting in the forest, a hunter took aim with his gun and fired. Falling to the forest floor, the mother lay dead. The young, Izzie, was traumatized and wounded with a shattered arm, broken hand, broken tail and five gunshot wounds. The hunter ripped her from her dead mother, put her in a sack, then left her tied up in his front yard, dehydrated, frightened and in pain. Confiscated by the Forest Department, she is now at Wildtracks, where she is given the care needed to thrive again

14 Primate Rehabilitation: Stage One The youngest monkeys are housed in the Nursery Unit, where they have 24 hour care. The smallest monkeys have been as young as a week old, requiring an intensive care regime of two-hourly feeds day and night, constant warmth and physical contact. These babies are evolutionarily programmed to panic if separated from their mothers, and separation anxiety is a major issue that needs to be addressed during Stage One. For spider monkeys, in particular, the mother / baby bond is very strong and long lasting, with the baby still being carried by the mother when a year old or more. As they start growing and moving around, the babies need the warmth, contact and stimulation from their carers during their waking hours. Each youngster is therefore assigned a specific carer to provide the support and stimulus they need to thrive, building the confidence and skills to later be able to become part of a functional troop, with the potential for eventual release back into the wild. Almost all new monkeys arrive on their own, whether babies or adults. Even after their arrival, they have a one month quarantine period before physically meeting other monkeys. Once the quarantine period is complete, youngsters are introduced to others of a similar size and age in a carefully monitored situation. It can take a month or longer before they form strong enough bonds with each other to allow the carers to gradually withdraw - and sometimes personality clashes can result in the acceptance that an individual may never be comfortable with a specific group of monkeys, but will need to wait until a new troop can be formed. Once a group has been formed, the young monkeys eat, play and sleep together, often in the same hammock. As they get older, they are taken outside on a daily basis to a play cage, where they can explore a more natural environment, swinging on vines, and jumping from tree to tree. Once they are comfortable in this environment, they can move on to Stage Two.

15 Hammock time for the babies

16 Primate Rehabilitation: Stage Two As the monkeys get older and their confidence is assessed as having reached the level of the individual / group being comfortable away from the nursery support, they are moved into larger outdoor cages under forest cover. Depending on a number of factors in their growth and development, they may spend between 6 and 12 months in these cages before moving to the final pre-release phase, with space and time to develop social skills and bonds, and to learn to operate as a group playing, moving and feeding together, and transferring their focus from the nursery carers to each other. Contact with the carers is reduced to feed times, when cages are cleaned, leafy browse is replaced, fruit provided and water refreshed. Monkeys stay here until considered ready for release preparation. If they came in as babies, this may take a year or more. Enrichment, including introduction of palms and bushes, helps to prepare the monkeys for foraging, and also for moving through the forest, where branches are not nailed in place. Cage layouts are changed frequently to prevent boredom and encourage development of climbing and jumping skills.

17 Spider Monkey Complex

18 Primate Rehabilitation: Stage Three Four to ten months prior to release, howler monkeys are moved into one of the extensive pre-release enclosure 0.7 acre tracts of forest surrounded by electric fencing. This is where they learn the physical coordination, climbing and communication skills needed to move and live in the forest canopy. They are initially housed for a few days in large cages within the enclosure, to learn where food and water is provided, and are shut in at night until the final 2 to 3 months. At this point, they have the freedom to select their own sleeping areas within the pre-release enclosure, though are still provided supplemental fruit and browse in the cage. Throughout the process, they are monitored closely, with group cohesion, climbing, travelling and foraging skills being assessed prior to their approaching release in the Fireburn Reserve.

19 Vet checks, including testing for TB, take place throughout the process to ensure the animals are healthy for release

20 Primate Rehabilitation: Stage Four Howler monkeys are released into the subtropical forest environment of the Fireburn Reserve at approximately 2½-3 years of age. However, wildlife rehabilitation doesn t end when the animals are released. Their success in returning to the wild needs to be monitored for at least a year to ensure that they are coping with conditions in the forest, maintaining good health, adopting a completely wild lifestyle, and preparing to re-enter the breeding population. Post-release monitoring of the released monkeys is conducted on an on-going basis at the release site, to determine the success of their return to the wild and to provide a feedback mechanism to help inform the rehabilitation and reintroduction process. Reintroducing endangered species into their former ranges and re-establishing viable populations across the broader landscape is perhaps the best insurance that can be provided against a number of threats, including the devastating impacts of hurricanes or highly contagious diseases such as the yellow-fever epidemic that decimated monkey populations in the region in the 1950s. The current release site, the Fireburn Reserve, provides one such area. Howler monkeys, once present in the area, were removed by the combined pressures of hurricanes, hunting and yellow fever over 60 years ago. Removal of forest corridor linkages by farming over the intervening years has reduced the likelihood of natural repopulation of the area, even though the conditions are now ideal, with high density food resources and strong community support.

21 The Fireburn Reserve The Release Site The Fireburn Reserve is a 1,818 acre private protected area managed in partnership between Wildtracks and the Fireburn Community. It is situated in Corozal District adjacent to the southern end of Shipstern Lagoon, and is accessed primarily by boat. The Reserve protects a high number of species of both flora and fauna. So far recorded within the 1818 acres are 177 species of plant, 36 species of mammal, 208 species of bird and 65 species of reptile and amphibian. This high level of diversity results from the wide range of habitats, its geographic location, and the fact that the Reserve is connected to a larger area of natural ecosystems. The forested areas of the Reserve are dominated by seasonal broad-leaved lowland forest, composed of hardwood trees such as mahogany, Santa Maria and poisonwood, as well as several palm species and many other understory plants. Howler food species are abundant, with ramon (breadnut), figs, sapote and the West Indian grape vine amongst the 30+ plant species already featuring in the howler diet there. Facilities include the Fireburn Fieldbase, nestled in the forest itself, and providing basic accommodation and kitchen facilities for volunteers and researchers), as well as the Fireburn Centre, a classroom situated at the edge of the private protected area.

22 Volunteer How Can I Participate? Volunteer Primate rehabilitation can be very labour-intensive, particularly with species that require significant social contact and support as babies and juveniles. Foster-mother support of baby monkeys and providing enrichment activities for older monkeys are good examples of wildlife-care that require a very significant amount of carer time. In a country such as Belize, where financing support from the government is limited, such care can only be provided by volunteers. The Primate Rehabilitation Centre does not have salaried staff, and relies on volunteers, from the directors down. Volunteering can be hard work, uncomfortable and smelly.but also extremely rewarding. Volunteer placements are for a minimum of 1 month and more often for 2 to 3 months or more. We have volunteers who extend their stay with us for up to a year, and others who keep coming back. Sponsored placements are available for Belizean volunteers. Contact Details office@wildtracksbelize.org

23 How Can I Participate? Donate! As a small non-profit organization, Wildtracks has an entirely volunteer-based staff with the exception of one local staff member from the community, ensuring a very high level of cost effectiveness. Over 80-90% of funds go directly towards the purchase of fruit, milk formula, caging materials, core equipment, veterinary support, medical expenses, transport to collect confiscated and surrendered monkeys, support of the volunteer programme and monitoring activities for after their release back into the wild. As the only primate rehabilitation facility in Belize, Wildtracks operates under a Memorandum of Understanding, working in partnership with the Forest Department towards implementation of a zero-tolerance policy for the illegal trade and captivity of primates. The Forest Department provides important input in making confiscations and conducting public awareness activities - but no direct funding. As such, Wildtracks is largely dependent upon financial support from granting agencies and individual donors. With help from donor agencies, we are ensuring that we have the large scale infrastructure in place for effective rehabilitation and release. However, we rely on individual donors for the day-to-day support of the Primate Rehabilitation Centre, and for emergency funding such as monkeys requiring specialized veterinary care. We would be much more limited in the scope of our work and the impacts we can make on the illegal pet trade in primates of Belize without the support of our individual donors. Every dollar counts! Maria Norbury Foundation Every dollar counts!! One US dollar provides food for one monkey for one day a rich and varied diet that ensures that the monkeys are in top condition. One US dollar is not a lot, but that adds up to US$365 a year per monkey or over US$12,000 a year for the thirty-three monkeys currently in care. This could double in the coming months as broad-scale confiscations rescue the majority of the remaining illegal pet monkeys around Belize. Donate! Donations can be made by secure PayPal or Credit Card payments through Thank you!

24 I am not a pet!! You have ripped me from my mother, You have taken me from the trees I know, You are feeding me the wrong food, Not giving me the milk I need. As I get older, frustrated, stronger, As I start to bite, to shout, to howl, You will abandon me, lost and lonely, Shut in a small cage Until I die What have I done to deserve this? It is illegal to keep monkeys as pets in Belize. They are endangered wild animals, carry disease and can be dangerous. Please report pet monkeys to: Belize Forest Department or Photo Credits: Wildtracks (Paul and Zoe Walker), Amanda Cyphers, August Jennewein, Emma Farlow, Erik Hammer, Jazmine Kim, Jen Gailis, Roni Martinez, Siegfried Wiesel, Tom Reeve