Costs and Benefits of Radio-collaring on the Behavior, Demography, and Conservation of Owl Monkeys (Aotus azarai) in Formosa, Argentina

Abstract

The benefits to researchers of capturing and collaring free-ranging primates are numerous, but so are the actual and potential costs to the individuals. We aimed to 1)evaluate quantitatively the possible demographic long-term costs of radio-collaring a free-ranging primate species, and 2) evaluate qualitatively the costs to the subjects and the overall benefits to the research program that results from monitoring a large number of groups with collared individuals during many years. Between 2000 and 2009, we captured, recaptured, and radio-collared 146 owl monkeys (Aotus azarai) to study the behavior, demography, and genetics of the species. To evaluate the potential long-term costs of the collaring procedures on the population, we compared the demographic composition of groups (n=20) in our core study area with those of undisturbed groups(n=20) in a control area within the same forest. Groups in both areas ranged in size between 2 and 5 individuals. Surprisingly, group size tended to be larger among the study groups owing to more infants and juveniles in those groups than in the control groups. The benefits to the research program have included, among others, the reliable identification of individuals, increased sample sizes, the recovery of specimens, studies of dispersal, outreach activities, and conservation education. Still, some of the benefits will become tangible only when the project persists on time; is fully approved and supported by local authorities; and has broad community participation, as well as conservation and education goals. Thus, any serious initiative to capture and collar individuals should be the result of an extremely careful evaluation of benefits and costs.