Tropical forest loss changes how animals interact with their habitat. Forest maintenance and restoration requires natural processes like animal seed dispersal to sustain tree diversity. However, seed-dispersing animals, such as fruit-eating canopy-dwelling primates, are also sensitive to habitat changes because their movement through the forest depends on the three-dimensional canopy structure. 

Panama’s Azuero Peninsula was once covered by seasonally dry tropical forest, but extensive clearing for cattle ranching in the early 20^th century left only small, discontinuous fragments. Today, declining ranching presents opportunities to restore native forests to benefit both people and wildlife. Spider monkeys, the largest frugivores in the region, are excellent seed dispersers critical to the health of the region’s forests.

This project team examined forest restoration and spider monkey conservation on the Azuero Peninsula through research and local partnerships. Team members placed GPS collars on high-ranking males from six known spider monkey groups in the study area. To model spider monkey movement, team members used step selection functions, which compare covariates at observed points to those at randomly generated alternative points, and extracted forest attribute covariates, such as canopy height and age, from along monkey movement paths using remotely sensed imagery. 

Working with local collaborators Fundación Pro Eco Azuero and BioFuture Panamá, the team evaluated existing restoration plans to determine which areas should be prioritized for restoration to optimize avenues for monkey movement. Team members also contributed to outreach by visiting schools to talk with students and assisting with curriculum development for a future female scientist summer camp.

Timing

Summer 2021 – Summer 2022

Team Outputs

Open-source, high-resolution spider monkey movement data

Lesson plans about seed dispersal in tropical forests for use by local collaborators

This Team in the News

Senior Spotlight: Reflections from the Class of 2022

Image: Spider monkeys at BCI, by Brian Gratwicke, licensed under CC BY 2.0