Working together to protect endangered primates in the Ecuadorian Chocó, Manabí province
Emily Anahí Mogro Páez
Other project team members: Daniela Cortés Díaz, Diego Armando Macías Alcívar, Esteban Rivera Santiago Román
The Chocó forests are among the most biodiverse and threatened ecosystems in the world. In Ecuador, over 80% of this habitat has disappeared due to deforestation and intensive agriculture, leading to critical declines in primate populations and local extinctions. However, recently rediscovered populations of two of the world’s most threatened primates—the brown-headed spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps fusciceps) and the Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchin (Cebus aequatorialis)—in the last forest remnants of Manabí highlight the urgent need for conservation. This area harbors the most endangered population of A. f. fusciceps, and losing this group would not only shrink the species’ range but also significantly impact its genetic diversity, as it possesses unique haplotypes not found in northern populations in Esmeraldas. Our project seeks to raise awareness and engage communities and schools in co-developing a conservation strategy for the primate species, as umbrella and flagship species, and its habitat. We will use Sustainable Participatory Design, an environmental education program, and biocorridor modeling. Expected outcomes include understanding environmental awareness, assessing socioeconomic dynamics, co-developing an environmental governance plan, and identifying potential biological corridors.
Photo credit: Felipe Alfonso Cortes
Watch the project video below: