BARRANQUILLA/COLOMBIA — Isamira, Isaías, and Milton resemble squirrels in size, but their backs and tails display long black and brown fur. They have white chests and bellies, and their claw-shaped nails grant them the grace to jump from one tree to another in the tropical forests of northern Colombia, where they are unique. Just watching them perform their acrobatic pirouettes makes it believable that these tiny primates known as ‘white-headed tamarin monkeys’ could reach their average lifespan, estimated to be over 13 years if they stay in their forest environment, eating fruits, insects, and even vertebrates. But not all of them are so lucky. The species, whose scientific name is Saguinus oedipus, is critically endangered due to deforestation, poaching, and illegal trade. Proyecto Tití: a race against time The real threat to the survival of the species prompted the creation of Proyecto Tití 35 years ago. Its organizers have been monitoring these animals ever since, assisting them in their battle to resist deforestation and the human desire to take them home as pets. «Taking a tamarin from here when it’s little is like buying the life of its parents,» says Felix Medina, a researcher and part of Proyecto Tití, arguing that the species lives in family groups like humans and are very territorial in this coexistence that includes parents, mothers, and children. «[Adults] don’t give away their children, and in order to take away a small tamarin that they’re carrying, you have to kill the adults,» he adds. The tamarin monkey plays a key role in seed dispersal in tropical ecosystems. They eat seeds that are even larger than those consumed by other primates such as chimpanzees and baboons. That’s why, says Medina, he and his colleagues have become «gossipers» in the life of the species, studying what the tamarin does, how many times it eats, rests, and how much of the forest it walks. After decades of research, Medina affirms that what has surprised him the most is that the parents «take care of their offspring, teach them, breastfeed them for 4 months, and then release them so they can move on their own.» Tamarin monkeys form family groups that include breeding parents, their adult offspring, and even unrelated adults that have migrated to the group. «Currently, we estimate that there are approximately 7,000 individuals in their entire distribution area,» explained Leysthen Díaz, part of the project to prevent the species from becoming extinct, as he walked through the forests as part of ongoing research in an area of approximately 400 hectares where several tamarin families live. Studies have determined that around 80 plants are part of the tamarin’s diet. According to Colombian researchers, the feeding process of the tamarin has an extra value in seed dispersal in tropical ecosystems. They often eat seeds that are quite large, even larger than those consumed by primates such as chimpanzees and baboons. These seeds are digested in feces, which have proven to be an excellent fertilizer with a high success rate for germination. Since breastfeeding and caring for their offspring requires a lot of energy, tamarin monkeys usually give birth during the first half of the rainy season when fruit is more abundant. Only the dominant female in each group gives birth to the offspring. Tamarin monkeys reach sexual maturity between 15 and 18 months of age. When the mother dies or abandons the group, another female assumes the dominant role, according to studies published in National Geographic. Deforestation and indiscriminate hunting Many of the residents of this forested area in northern Colombia have been forced to transform these forests into pastures for cultivation and timber extraction. The Proyecto Tití initiative aims to raise awareness about the species in the area and how vulnerable its existence becomes in order to reduce the negative impact of tree felling, fires, and hunting tamarins to keep them as pets. «When we didn’t know the damage that was being done to the forest, the damage that was being done to the tamarin, when we didn’t know that the tamarin was unique in the world, people would come and cut down trees,» says Ana Isabel Arroyo, president of the United Craftswomen Association of the Borders (Asoartesanas), which also operates in the northern area of Colombia where the last remaining white-headed tamarins on the planet can be found and leads productive projects in the community. Deforestation and human activity represent the most significant threats to the survival of tamarins. Colombia is losing its tropical rainforest at a dramatic rate due to development and agriculture, according to studies published in National Geographic. Endangered ecosystem Walking under the trees that these primates roam every day, Leysthen Díaz explains that the tropical dry forest is one of the most threatened ecosystems in Colombia. «Around 8% of that original forest is estimated to still exist, but of that 8%, only 12% is suitable for white-headed tamarins,» says Díaz, explaining that only small sections of the forest remain distributed throughout the geography. «This implies not only the need to increase the area but also to connect these patches of forest to maintain ecosystem health,» he adds. Tamarin plush toys to raise awareness In addition to deforestation, the main threat to white-headed tamarins is hunting for the illegal wildlife trade, where they are sold as pets. The foundation’s programs seek to raise awareness, increase knowledge, and influence behavior regarding the protection of natural resources by offering sustainable economic alternatives. «We want people to value the forest, value the tamarin as a flagship species for the conservation of these forests and our Colombian biodiversity,» says Díaz. As part of the program to raise awareness about the endangered species, the Asoartesanas group recycles plastic bags and manufactures plush toys in the shape and colors of the white-headed tamarin. «Through workshops and training provided by the Proyecto Tití foundation, we became aware of the damage we were causing,» says Isabel Arroyo, president of Asoartesanas. «We searched for alternatives, set an example for other nearby communities, and started involving more women and not just women, but men as well. Other initiatives and community projects have emerged from our initiative.» Education for survival The Proyecto Tití is based on the knowledge that much depends on the forest and the tamarin monkey in this Colombian area, emphasized Rosamira Guillen, executive director of the Proyecto Tití Foundation. «We depend on the resources and services that the forest offers us, from something as simple as fibers, to regulating the water cycle and providing many services to regulate the temperature of our communities,» says the researcher. The tamarins, she reiterates, play a very important ecological role as they help disperse seeds as they roam their territory in the forest, thus helping to plant many trees every day. «Only by involving the communities, educating young people, conducting science, and protecting forests, will we be able to guarantee a long-term future for the white-headed tamarin, for this 100% coastal, 100% Colombian primate,» she concludes. As we become aware, Isamira, Isaías, Milton, and their family look for a different tree to sleep in every night. Colombia is losing its tropical rainforest at a dramatic rate due to development and agriculture; in fact, the South American country has recorded the fourth highest loss of tropical rainforest in the world.
Fuente de TenemosNoticias.com: www.vozdeamerica.com
Publicado el: 2023-08-07 08:17:53
En la sección: América Latina – Voice of America