'New' Monkey a Symbol for Conservation

José Luis Alcázar*

TARIJA, Bolivia, Jun 2 (Tierramérica) - The discovery in Bolivia of a new species of titi monkey, baptised with the scientific name Callicebus aureipalatti, is a call from nature to humans to take responsibility for the conservation of wildlife areas, say the scientists who identified the ''new'' primate.

With the common name lucachi, the monkey was identified in late 2004 on the western banks of the Beni River, in Madidi National Park, in Bolivia's northwest, by the scientists Robert Wallace, of Britain, and Humberto Gómez, of Bolivia.

The official announcement of the finding will be made in September in the U.S.-based journal Primate Conservation, which will publish an article by Wallace and Gómez, scientists with the Wildlife Conservation Society, headquartered in New York.

''The discovery of this monkey should help us reflect on the importance of wildlife for the health of humanity and the effort and resources we need in the long term to preserve it and prevent its destruction,'' Wallace said in a Tierramérica interview.

There is celebration in the world scientific community about this ''new'' species, but there is also deep concern about the imminent disappearance of other primates in Africa, Asia and Latin America, including the gorilla and the chimpanzee.

''The fact that today we can find new monkey species in wild areas of the world shows that there is still much to learn about nature, and Bolivia represents a tangible symbol of the value and uniqueness of the Madidi Park as the most biodiverse area of the world.''

The word ''aureipalatii'', in the name of the new monkey species, is Latin for Golden Palace, the name of an Internet-based casino that was the biggest donor -- with 650,000 dollars -- to a conservation fund for the lucachi and its natural habitat, in a worldwide naming contest held from Feb. 24 to Mar. 4.

Wallace described for Tierramérica some characteristics of the lucachi, such as its crown of golden hair, bright orange colouring on its neck and chest, reddish arms and legs and a long tail. This member of the titi monkey family measures less than 50 cm, weighs about one kilogramme and likes to eat fruit.

''The live in small groups, are monogamous, families number no more than four, and they are found in the densest part of the jungle. In the mornings, mating pairs exchange a kind of song and they are always hugging each other,'' he said.

In identifying the lucachi, the WCS worked in partnership with the Bolivian government's National Service for Protected Areas (SERNAP) and the private Foundation for the Development of Bolivia's System of Protected Areas (FUNDESNAP).

In October 2004, WCS biologists discovered another primate species in Africa, dubbed the Lophocebus kipunji, near Tanzania's Kitulo National Park.

Today there are 626 primate species existing worldwide. Of that sum, 133 are in Latin America, with 23 of those found in Bolivia, including the lucachi, whose discovery brought the total titi monkey species in Latin America to 30.

The Madidi, established in 1995 and ''a jewel of the world'' according to Wallace, covers more than 1.8 million hectares and is shared by more than 3,500 indigenous Tacana, Chupianon, Leco and Esse-eja peoples.

The vast diversity of the park's ecosystems ranges from tropical forests to Andean meadows. It is a swath of land excellently preserved, says Wallace, with altitudes of 180 to 6,000 meters above sea level. The park also holds an important extension of untouched savannas.

Sharing the lucachi habitat, according to FUNDESNAP director Sergio Eguino, are healthy populations of jaguars (Panthera onca), giant otters (Pteronura brasiliensis), spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), more than 1,000 bird species, and a wide array of rare orchids and other unique plants.

The approximately 1,100 bird species found in the Madidi represent the greatest avian diversity of any of the world's protected areas. The park also has more than 5,000 plant species.

Wallace praises the harmonious coexistence of the Madidi's indigenous populations with their natural environment, and their adaptation to conservation and sustainable use of the park.

These communities currently produce coffee, cacao, honey and incense, and studies are under way for the sustainable management of timber exploitation, as a means to avoid temptation for illegal logging at the service of outside interests, which more than once have tried to encroach on the reserve.

The Madidi is also considered one of the 10 best places in the world for ecotourism and adventure travel.

(* José Luis Alcázar is a Tierramérica contributor. Originally published May 28 by Latin American newspapers that are part of the Tierramérica network. Tierramérica is a specialised news service produced by IPS with the backing of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Environment Programme.)

(END/2005)