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(1 - 15 of 15)

Title: 2022 - Time Budget of Alouatta palliata and Ateles geoffroyi at La Selva Research Station: A Comparison - Presentation
Description: Being the largest New World monkeys, mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) and spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) vary greatly in terms of appearance, diet, and time budgets. Recent studies show that Alouatta palliata spends about 17% of their time foraging and about 80% of their time in a resting activity. Conversely, Ateles geoffroyi have been shown to budget their time as such: 33.5% foraging, 24.1% resting, 32.6% travelling, and the rest of the time is divided between other categories. This difference in time budgeting is attributed to the difference in diets between species, as Alouatta palliata has a folivorous diet and Ateles geoffroyi has a frugivorous diet. Because fruits are not located in any specific area, but are spread out throughout the forest, there is a general trend of frugivores spending more time looking for food, while folivores spend more time resting to digest food. When comparing similarities between species, simultaneous study of activity budgets between co-existing species is rare. Additionally, activity budgets of Alouatta palliata and Ateles geoffroyi at the La Selva Research Station are unknown. The question then becomes: do these different species attribute their time at the La Selva Research Station similarly? I hypothesize that Alouatta palliata will have more resting and foraging periods compared to Ateles geoffroyi. I will be going to the La Selva Research Station, located in Costa Rica, in May 2022. The La Selva Research Station offers 1,600 hectares of forest where a number of Alouatta palliata and Ateles geoffroyi can be found. Alouatta palliata have fur that ranges from walnut, gold, chocolate brown, and black colors across their bodies; whereas Ateles geoffroyi are reddish brown, yellowish brown, black, or silvery-gray. Weight differences of Alouatta palliata and Ateles geoffroyi are important, too. Alouatta palliata males weigh between 4.5 kg and 9 kg with females weighing 3.1 kg to 7.6 kg. Ateles geoffroyi males, on the other hand, weigh between 7.4 kg and 9 kg, and females weigh between 6 kg and 9.4 kg. Instantaneous focal sampling will be completed at 1-minute intervals. Key characteristics that are going to be observed are feeding, aggression, vocal calling, resting, and travel. This allows a broad enough spectrum that multiple data points are going to be collected for a quantitative analysis. This is completed by comparing the proportion of budget categories observed, by species, relative to the number of scans obtained. These budgeting categories will then be compared to those from other sites.
Subjects: Primates, monkeys, quantitative analysis, research, Animal behavior, Animal feeding, groups of animals, resting, Foraging
Local Identifiers: 22-0159

Title: 2022 - Interactions of Alouatta palliata and Co-Existing Species at La Selva Biological Station - Poster Presentation
Description: Social grouping is rare among most mammals but is extremely routine within primates. With the increase in group living comes the increase in intraspecific foraging competition. However, niche divergence, or the differences in food selection and habitat use, may help mitigate this competition. Interactions between species are a major force in structuring ecological communities because they affect speciation, survival, and phenotypic divergence. In several studies of Alouatta seniculus, found in the Amazon, it was revealed they were absent from many sites compared to Ateles and Lagothrix species, suggesting that Ateles and Lagothrix shared common habitat use in certain sites found in the Amazon where Alouatta seniculus was absent. Because the number of Alouatta differs depending on their habitat location, understanding the coexistence of Alouatta and surrounding primates species is of the utmost importance because of how it affects the surrounding ecosystem. One of the coexisting primates at La Selva, Cebus capuchinus, tends to reside within the middle strata, using the upper canopies for travel, while Alouatta palliata tend to stay within the middle and upper canopies. Because of this slight overlap, I hypothesize both have interactions with one another. Whether those interactions are affiliative or aggressive will be recorded. I will record species, the proximity to the nearest neighbor, sex, and age. This study will be conducted at La Selva Research Station in May of 2022.
Subjects: Primates, monkeys, Animal behavior, Interpersonal relations, ecosystems, ecology, social anthropology
Local Identifiers: 22-0154

Title: 2022 - Alloparenting in Howler Monkeys (Aloutta palliata) in Costa Rica - Poster Presentation
Description: Alloparenting, defined as care provided by individuals other than parents, is a universal behavior among humans that has shaped our evolutionary history and remains important in contemporary society. Human alloparenting takes place in the context of cooperative breeding, wherein individuals live in groups and coordinate their efforts to feed, care for, and protect young to which they themselves did not give birth. Alloparenting has a positive correlation with infant development. Although rare in primates, mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta Palliata) live in social groups where adults engage in alloparenting. Several females can help to look after a single baby, carrying it and grooming it. Young males are often not allowed to alloparent because they can sometimes harm the infants. Mother-infant interactions in A. palliata, such as infant riding, pushing away, sharing food, nursing, and eating on their own, have been observed. In social contexts where mothers interact with physical contact, it provides emotional confidence for both mother and infant, and induces a sense of individual agency. Whether alloparenting occurs in A. Palliata at La Selva Research Station is unknown. This research will investigate alloparenting at this site. I hypothesize that mother A. Palliata will let other group members interact with their infants. This study will take place at La Selva Research Station in May of 2022. La Selva Research Station is in the Caribbean foothills of Costa Rica. It consists of old growth and new growth tropical wet forests. It is home to A. Palliata which are large and stocky with black fur, and most individuals have long, yellow, or brown fur. Adult females typically weigh 4 to 5 kg, and newborn infants weigh 0.4 kg and appear silver to golden brown. The average number of offspring is one, and the average gestation period is 186 days. Data will be collected daily using 1-minute instantaneous scan sampling. I will record the interactions between mother and infant, male and infant, and non-mother female infant, in grooming, carrying, sharing food, and resting, as well as infant solitary behavior. This data will be examined in the presence of alloparenting.
Subjects: Primates, monkeys, Animal behavior, groups of animals, parents, Families, zoology, social anthropology
Local Identifiers: 22-0156

Title: 2022 - Investigating Habitat Preferences of Cebus imitator at La Selva Research Station - Poster Presentation
Description: Rivers create natural variation within landscapes, leading to diverse habitat preferences among primate species. Understanding the habitat preferences of primates can be useful in assessing their overall ecological significance and informing future conservation efforts. The confluence of the Sarapiqui and Puerto Viejo Rivers forms a natural boundary at La Selva Research Station. This area is differentially occupied by primate species like Alouatta palliata (mantled howler monkey), Cebus imitator (white-faced capuchin), and Ateles geoffroyi (Geoffroy’s spider monkey). Previous studies on C. imitator have supported a strong preference for secondary forest habitats over riparian habitats due to their lower canopy, as well as the presence of human-planted invasive fruit trees. For this study, I will be investigating the habitat preferences of C. imitatorin relation to the Sarapiqui and Puerto Viejo Rivers, to see if the results are approximate to those of other studies done in northeastern Costa Rica. I hypothesize that there will be a negative correlation between spatial proximity to rivers and C. imitator population density, consistent with the results of prior studies. C. imitator is a monkey of Central and South America, endemic to Honduras through northwestern Ecuador. They are black and white in color, express moderate sexual dimorphism, and weigh from 15 to 40 kg, depending on sex. They are predominantly arboreal, forming multi-male/multi-female groups of up to 24, and have a highly varied omnivorous diet. To test my hypothesis, I will do a census on C. imitator by walking all the trails at La Selva Research Station at a pace of 1 km per hour. I will record the number of individuals and their location by trail name and nearst meter marker. The group’s proximity to rivers will be calculated using La Selva Research Station’s trail maps, and I will compare the number of sightings near and far from rivers with the results of other research sites.
Subjects: research, habitat, Primates, monkeys, Animal behavior, coastal environments, environments, groups of animals, wild animals
Local Identifiers: 22-0182

Title: 2022 - Feeding and Foraging Differences in Infant and Adult Mantled Howlers (Alouatta palliata) in Costa Rica - Poster Presentation
Description: Adults and infants have different dietary intake needs, from how much they eat to the different types of foods they eat. Infants and juveniles need more food (energy) than adults because they are growing. While infants and juveniles need more energy, they are also less proficient at foraging than adults. This, coupled with their higher energy needs, suggests that infants and juveniles will need to spend more time foraging. Prior research on Alouatta caraya reported that as they become older, the amount of time they feed and move decreases. Alouatta palliata also known as howler monkeys, are primarily folivores. They eat a wide variety of different plant species and parts, including, leaves, berries, fruits, seeds, nuts, and flowers. A. palliata infants suckle for 6 months to 1 year on average and then begin to transition to solid foods. It is unknown whether this pattern of infants and juveniles spending more time feeding is true for A. palliata at La Selva Research Station. I predict that A. palliatainfants will spend more time eating than adults. This research will be conducted at La Selva Research Station from May to June of 2022. La Selva Research Station is in Costa Rica, and it is 1,600 hectares of well-preserved old-growth and recovering wet lowland tropical forest. The primary forest takes up 53% of the forest, and the rest is in various types of secondary forest and abandoned land. A. palliata are stoutly built bearded monkeys with a hunched appearance and thickly furred prehensile tails that are naked on the underside of the tip to afford a better grip. The hair is long and thick and is typically black, brown, or red. Data will be collected using 30-second instantaneous scan sampling. I will record the age (infant and adult) and feeding, travel, and rest. I will compare the proportion of feeding scans between infants and adults.
Subjects: research, Primates, monkeys, Eating & drinking, Animal behavior, Animal feeding
Local Identifiers: 22-0179

Title: 2022 - Mantled Howler Monkeys: Mate Guarding at La Selva Research Station (Aloutta, palliata)
Description: In the natural world, there are many reproductive strategies that are ways for organisms to increase their reproductive success. One reproductive strategy of primates is mate guarding, where they guard a reproductive female and won’t let her get near any other suitors. Mate guarding is often seen in multi-male and multi-female troops because the male wants to limit the female’s access to other males in the troop. Among monkeys of Central and South America, Alouatta palliata (mantled howler monkeys) has multi-male and multi-female troops. These troops are made up of non-kin members and male coalitions. There can be anywhere from 1 or more males and 9 or more females. Individuals of A. palliata are mostly black in color, with long, black guard hairs that give them the name “mantled”. A. palliata are polygynous and mate all year long. It is unclear if the rainforest structure at La Selva Research Station would lead A. palliata to mate guard or not. I predict that A. palliata at La Selva Research Station will mate guard females with no infants due to the rainforest structure being 43% re-growing secondary forest. I will investigate if mate guarding is one of the tactics used to deter other males from copulating with females. I will collect data by using instantaneous scan sampling at two-minute intervals. The data I will record will be the sex, age, whether the females have an infant, and proximity to the nearest neighbor. I will also record the nearest neighbor’s sex, and age. I will judge proximity by three categories: In contact (zero m apart), close will be more than zero and up to one m apart, and far will be greater than one m apart. This will be used to compare the proximity of males to females with no infants and the proximity of males to females with infants. Afterward, I will compare these results with those of A. palliata from other sites.
Subjects: Primates, monkeys, Animal behavior, reproductive biology, research, ecology
Local Identifiers: 22-0160

Title: 2022 - Parent Proximity amongst Alouatta palliata - Poster Presentation
Description: The interactions between mothers and their offspring are vital for successful child-rearing. Due to the energy-intensive nature of reproducing and child-rearing, a mother Alouatta palliata, or mantled howler monkey, will protect the health and safety of her offspring. However, within three years, the offspring must obtain the skills to survive independently. Female A. palliata experiences a gestational period of approximately 180 days. Every two years, females give birth to one child. An infant A. palliata will nurse for the first 18 months of its life. I hypothesize that mothers will maintain closer proximity to infants than to juveniles. My research will be conducted in May 2022 at the La Selva Research Station in Costa Rica’s north-eastern rainforests. The primary and secondary forests there create an ideal habitat for A. palliata. The adult A. palliata are primates weighing 4 to 5 kg and covered in black fur. Infants will be covered in gold or silver fur until their fur darkens when they reach sexual maturity at three years old. Data will be collected using instantaneous focal sampling in 10-second intervals that will alternate between mothers and offspring. I will distinguish between infant A. palliata, as those clinging to their mothers, and juveniles as those who nurse but transport themselves predominantly independently. A. palliata mothers will be distinguished by the act of nursing their offspring. I will study the methods applied by the mother, A. palliata, in the rearing of her offspring. I will record their proximity to one another and to others, distinguishing between physical contact, within 1 meter, 3 meters, or a distance greater than 3 meters. I will record their behaviors such as feeding, resting, traveling, and grooming. This data will be compared to data collected on other Alouatta species.
Subjects: monkeys, Animal behavior, Animal feeding, data analysis, analysis, Primates, Mothers & children, Tropical forests, Autonomy, student projects
Local Identifiers: 21-0146

Title: 2022 - Reactions to Human Presence by Primates at La Selva Research Station (Alouatta palliata, Ateles geoffroyi, and Cebus capucinus) - Poster Presentation
Description: Although closely related, primates and humans do not often interact. This lack of interaction has led to researchers facing limitations in collecting data due to an inability to detect primates before they flee or hide. Habituation is when wild animals become comfortable with human interaction and presence; this can be useful to researchers in allowing them to observe wild animals in closer proximity. Although a useful tool for researchers, habituation can lead to wild animals becoming vulnerable; poachers have easier targets and humans can introduce new diseases. Though the primates at La Selva have not been purposefully habituated, they do have constant contact with humans due to the large amounts of human interaction caused by the researchers who frequent the station. This study will be conducted in May 2022 and will research the effects of human presence on Alouatta palliata, Ateles geoffroyi, and Cebus capucinus. I predict that human presence will have little to no effect on these species. La Selva research hub is a hotspot for researchers and is home to three species of primates: Howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata), Spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), and Capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus). I will be doing a census, walking at a speed of 1 km/hr across the 61 km of paved and dirt trails, which are all marked every 50 m. During my census, I will be recording primate and human locations (trail name and nearest marker). Proximity to human-dense areas such as the research station and commonly used trails will be calculated using a La Selva trail map. When primates are located, the census will be paused to collect data on displaying, feeding, locomotion (including whether they are fleeing or approaching), grooming, resting, and vocalizing. A comparison between the abundance of primates found near human-dense areas and more remote areas will be made.
Subjects: Primates, monkeys, Animal behavior, Census, Interpersonal relations, student projects, social anthropology, Anthropology
Local Identifiers: 22-0148

Title: 2022 - Infant Proximities to Mothers: Comparing Cebus imitator and Alouatta palliata - Poster Presentation
Description: Primates are social animals; they live in groups composed of mothers, their offspring, and a variable numbers of males. Mother-infant interaction is one of the earliest forms of primate bonding and communication. After a certain period of attachment, the infants begin to become more independent from their mothers, finally reaching adulthood. Capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator) have a relatively slow life history compared to howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata). C. imitatorinfants begin to first explore away from their mothers at 3 to 6 months of age and are adults at about 47 to 60 months of age. In comparison, A. palliata infants begin to explore in the first week or two of life, becoming entirely independent at about 30 to 36 months of age. As these data indicate, C. imitator infants are dependent on their mothers longer than A. palliata infants. Whether these patterns of independence are found in the primates of La Selva Research station remains unknown. The aim of the present study is to compare the amount of time that infant C. imitator and A. palliata spend near versus far from their mother as a measure of their dependence. I hypothesize that C. imitator infants will spend more time in close proximity to their mother compared to A. palliata infants. This research will be conducted in May 2022 at La Selva Research Station, located in northeastern Costa Rica. The station offers 3,953 acres of tropical forest and it is home to three species of primates: Alouatta palliata, Ateles geoffroyi, and C. imitator. Cebus imitator is a small animal, weighing 1.4 to 4 kg. They are black on the body, tail, and limbs and are white on the chest, shoulders, and face. The birth season is from February to July with the mean peak in birth activity in May. Alouatta palliata are sexually dimorphic with males weighing 4.5 to 9.8 kg and females weighing 3.1 to 7.6 kg. Infants are born a gray color but then become black. Data will be collected using 10-minute continuous focal sampling of mothers and infants. I will record proximity between mothers and infants. Proximity will be recorded as “in contact” (0 m), “near” (0±1 m), “far” (greater than 1 m). Also, I will record feeding, travel, grooming, and resting. The proximities of the two species will be compared with each other as well as with data from other research sites.
Subjects: Primates, monkeys, Animal behavior, Animals, biological concepts, Tropical forests
Local Identifiers: 22-0145

Title: 2022 -Aerial Predator Avoidance in Alouatta palliata, Mantled Howler Monkeys - Poster Presentation
Description: Since Darwin, biologists have recognized that social animals in nature must balance the need to find food and mates, often competing for both, with the necessity to avoid capture by a predator. Unlike the chronic problem of failing to obtain food and mate, one failure to avoid a predator is catastrophic to future lifetime fitness. We should, therefore, expect that the minute-to-minute behavior of a wild animal reflects these competing selection pressures. Predator avoidance in primates includes freezing, fleeing, vigilance, and alarm calls. Predation on arboreal primates has been described anecdotally in several species. There is little research specifically on predator avoidance in Alouatta palliata, the mantled howler monkey, in Costa Rica. This research will study whether they have predator avoidance behaviors. I hypothesize that A. palliata in La Selva Research Station will exhibit predator avoidance in response to aerial predators. Research will be conducted on a protected reserve with 1,536 hectares of both primary and secondary forest at La Selva Research Station located in Heredia Providence, Costa Rica in May 2022. A. palliata are black, long, and stocky, with brown or yellow saddles on their sides, and can grow to be 22 to 36 inches long and weigh 11 to 15 pounds. A. palliata’s predators are harpy eagles (Harpia harpyja) crested eagles (Morpheus guianensis), black hawk eagle (Spizaetus ornatus), jaguar (Panthera onca ocelot), ocelot (Felix pardalis), tayra (Eira barbara), boa constrictor (Boa constrictor), and anaconda (Eunectes marinus). Methods for study will include a 10-minute continuous-focal sampling followed by an instantaneous scan sample. I will record ecological variables such as resting and sleeping site height and the presence of vines at resting and sleeping sites, as well as the number of subjects and their sex, the presence or absence of predators, and behaviors such as vocalization, freezing, vigilance, fleeing, feeding, and resting. I will compare these behaviors in the presence and absence of predators.
Subjects: Animal behavior, survival, predators, Primates, monkeys, groups of animals, student projects
Local Identifiers: 22-0173

Title: 2022 - Affiliation and Aggression in Primate Groups - Poster Presentation
Description: Interactions between species are thought to be one of the largest factors of natural selection. Prior research has shown that primate species are constantly interacting, and that these interactions are not always peaceful or playful. Studies from La Suerte Biological Station have shown that howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) and spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) displace each other in order to get to the food resources. Other times, the two species are seen playing with each other. Alouatta palliata appear to be tolerant of other resident males but aggressive towards nonresident males. Ateles geoffroyi have been known to use fission-fusion dynamics which decrease competition and aggression. Whether these patterns of interactions are also found at La Selva Research Station is unknown. This study will examine the interactions within species and between species of Alouatta palliata and Ateles geoffroyi. I predict that interactions within Alouatta palliata groups will be more affiliative compared to interactions with Ateles geoffroyi groups. This research will take place at La Selva Research Station in May 2022. La Selva Research Station is located in the lowlands of the Caribbean in Costa Rica and is surrounded by the Sarapiqui and Puerto Viejo Rivers totaling about 103.89 km. Due to the high amount of rainfall, La Selva Research Station is covered with tropical pre-montane wet forest, which is more commonly known as rainforest. La Selva Research Station is home to Alouatta palliata, Ateles geoffroyi, and Cebus imitator. La Selva Research Station also has an expansive number of trails totaling in 50 km. Alouatta palliata are recognized by dark brown/black coloring with a lighter color along their sides and back. Males average about 9.8 kg while females average 5 kg. Ateles geoffroyi have dark hair with lighter coloring on their chest and stomach. Males and females both average between 6 and 9 kg. For my data collection I will be using instantaneous scan sampling with an interval of 30 seconds. I will alternate between Alouatta palliata and Ateles geoffroyi each day. For each scan I will record whether behaviors are solitary, affiliative, or aggressive, and for social behaviors I will record the partner. I will compare the amount of affiliation and aggression within groups and between groups.
Subjects: research, Primates, monkeys, Animal behavior, Interpersonal relations, social anthropology, Anthropology
Local Identifiers: 22-0178

Title: 2022 - Maternal Behavior in Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata) - Poster Presentation
Description: Maternal behavior in primates has shown that they take care of their infants to help them develop. When infants play and socialize with each other, they are developing behaviors and social skills. A study on Alouatta palliata in Honduras found that females with infants were spending more time with other mothers than with any other member of their group. We don’t know if this is true at La Selva. Who do female A. palliata spend the most time with? I predict that female A. palliata with infants will spend more time with other female A. palliata with infants than with female A. palliata who do not have an infant. This study will take place at La Selva Research Station. Located at the confluence of the Puerto Viejo and Sarapiquí Rivers, La Selva Research Station can be found in the province of Heredia, Costa Rica. La Selva is 1500 hectares of protected primary and secondary rainforest. The average rainfall is 4000 mm per year with average temperatures of 25° C to 27° C. One of the species of monkeys found here is A. palliata. These monkeys are black with a long gold fringe on their sides. Males weigh 4.5 to 9 kg and females 3.5 to 7.3 kg. For my data collection, I am going to do 10-second instantaneous focal sampling and record mothers’ proximity to their nearest neighbor and who that neighbor is. I will compare proximities of mothers with and without infants.
Subjects: Primates, monkeys, Animal behavior, Interpersonal relations, Mothers & children
Local Identifiers: 22-0168

Title: 2022 - Subadult Socialization with the Primate Ateles geoffroyi (Central American Spider Monkey) - Poster Presentation
Description: Human children have the critical developmental step of socializing partially met through peer-to-peer interactions. Similarly, Ateles geoffroyi (the Central American Spider Monkey) is known to be a social primate where juvenile socialization is critically important for finding food, avoiding predators, preparing for adult life, and handling distinct everyday challenges. A. geoffroyi subadults have a long maturation period (4 to 5 years), and they are more vulnerable to starvation and predation due to their lack of efficiency in foraging and underdeveloped motor skills. The socialization of an A. geoffroyi subadult is crucial to survival, yet limited research on A. geoffroyi subadults suggests socializing interactions mainly display competition for resources and aggressive food-related behavior. There is a lack of further research available about the socialization of A. geoffroyi, other than evidence that they tend to live in social groups with fission-fusion dynamics and often communicate via vocalization. In an attempt to discover how subadult peer-to-peer influence may lead to important socialization skills later in life, I want to investigate how subadult A. geoffroyi interact and socialize with one another. I hypothesize that subadult A. geoffroyi will spend more time socializing with other subadults than with adult A. geoffroyi. This research project will be conducted at La Selva Biological Research Station, located in the north-eastern rainforest of Costa Rica, where A. geoffroyi can be observed in its natural habitat. The method of collecting data will be ten second instantaneous focal sampling. Every ten seconds, I will record individual behaviors of play, allogrooming, embracing, food sharing, aggression, vocalizing, resting, self-grooming, locomoting, eating, drinking, and foraging. These individual behaviors will then be categorized as either solitary, social interaction with an adult, social interaction with another subadult, or social interaction with another species. After data collection is complete, the gathered data will be compared with other published data.
Subjects: Animals, Animal behavior, Primates, monkeys, Manners & customs, groups of animals
Local Identifiers: 22-0149

Title: 2022 - Mantled Howler Monkey and Leafcutter Ants - Poster Presentation
Description: Atta colombica, a species of leafcutter ants, forages from the same leaves that the mantled howler monkeys Alouatta palliataeat. Alouatta palliata and Atta colombica have no recorded interactions that would indicate hostility, and they show no inclination to interact either. Alouatta palliata will eat the leaves of these trees and lead a sedentary lifestyle, howling early in the morning and eating throughout the day, while the ants forage for leaves during the day constantly to bring back to their nest to use for growing fungus they use to feed their colony. This fungus may be very notorious but is only grown in colonies. Do howler monkeys and leafcutter ants have any interactions? Do Alouatta palliata possible eat the ants or do they avoid them if they can? I hypothesize Aloutta palliata will eat Atta colombica to supplement their diet. This research will take place at La Selva Research Station, which is in Costa Rica along the equator. It is a tropical rainforest home to many insect species, species of primate, and species of plant. My research will be focused on the mantled howler monkey, Alouatta palliata. Alouatta palliata are black in color, with the males having a longer beard and a white scrotum weighing in at 6 to 7 kg, and females at 4 to 5 kg. Atta colombica are a maroon color, with the queens being over 29 mm in length. Data will be collected using 30-second instantaneous scan sampling; Alouatta palliata’s resting, traveling, vocalization, eating habits, and feeding will be recorded. I will also record the presence of any Atta colombica.
Subjects: Primates, monkeys, Animal behavior, Eating & drinking, Interpersonal relations
Local Identifiers: 22-0171

Title: 2022 - Mother-Infant Interactions of Alouatta palliata - Poster Presentation
Description: The principal social connection among primates is that between mother and infant; the survival of an infant primate relies heavily on the level of maternal care provided. Until about three months of age, an infant Alouatta palliata (Mantled Howler Monkey) will spend most of their time with their mother. Alouatta seniculus have been observed behaving positively towards their infants, grooming, and protecting them; however, mothers have also exhibited agonistic behaviors such as pushing their infants away. Limited research has been conducted on the behaviors of A. palliata mothers and their young at La Selva Research Station. I predict that the interactions between mothers and their offspring at La Selva Research Station will be primarily affiliative. Research will be carried out at La Selva Research Station in May 2022. La Selva Research Station is a private reserve located in the northern region of Costa Rica. It spans over 1,600 hectares of rainforest and is home to three species of primates, one of which is A. palliata. A. palliata are primarily black with gold fringing on the sides, and they average 6 kg for males or 4.8 kg for females. I will be collecting data by performing instantaneous scans of mother primates and their babies, at 20-second intervals. In that time, I will be recording whether interactions between mothers and their young are affiliative, aggressive, or solitary. The frequency of affiliative and aggressive interactions between mothers and infants will be compared.
Subjects: student projects, Primates, monkeys, Mothers & children, Interpersonal relations, Anthropology
Local Identifiers: 22-0170

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