2022 - Feeding and Foraging Differences in Infant and Adult Mantled Howlers (Alouatta palliata) in Costa Rica - Poster Presentation

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.