Sharing small spaces: Social tolerance and conservation in capuchin monkeys living in rescue centers and a forest fragment

Habitat loss and fragmentation is occurring rapidly throughout nonhuman primate ranges around the globe. Advancing knowledge on how capuchin monkeys (_Sapajus libidnosus_ and _Sapajus flavius_) respond to living in smaller spaces, particularly in relation to the role of social tolerance in feeding and foraging, will provide critical information on the adaptive capacity and resilience of these species in the face of environmental change, and help shape conservation strategies for them and the endangered ecosystems they inhabit. This proposed Globalink Project would create international research experiences for five young scholars, conducting field work in northeastern Brazil with analysis and science communication training in Canada. The study sites include a fragment of the Atlantic Forest, while the research on the captive capuchins will take place at wildlife rescue centers in Brazil. This project will build on existing connections to help establish a solid, long-term collaboration between supervisors and research groups. This project will contribute to advanced degree requirements for all student participants, and we also expect to produce 3-4 scientific publications and 5 conference presentations to share our findings and help spread conservation knowledge and techniques internationally.

Faculty Supervisor:

Sarah Turner

Student:

Partner:

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

Concordia University

Program: