Yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda): Conservation status, anthropogenic threats, and conservation initiatives

Abstract

This chapter examines threats and conservation opportunities for the Critically Endangered yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda), a spe- cies endemic to northeastern Peru. Inherent traits make this species susceptible to extinction from threats identified here as habitat loss, hunting, selective logging, road construction, extractive industry, and climate change, all of which are increasing. Using current range estimates, available habitat, and published density estimates, we present here the first estimate for L. Flavicauda population size. We estimate a current population of between 88,622 and 10,564 individuals, which rep- resents a reduction of between 46 and 93 % of the estimated original population since 1981. These numbers represent maximum population estimates as they only consider habitat availability, disregarding hunting pressure. It is clear that both the species' population size and habitat are decreasing. State conservation efforts do not fully mitigate threats to this species, but land protection by private actors, especially rural communities through the creation of protected areas and landscape-level conservation, offers an innovative and increasingly popular conservation alternative.