A tribute to José Márcio ayres

Abstract

José Márcio Ayres was one of the most respected Brazilian scientists in the area of biodiversity conservation and the recipient of many prestigious prizes in his field. A biologist and primatologist, José Márcio Ayres held a Bachelor's Degree from the University of São Paulo - Ribeirão Preto, and a Master 's Degree from the Amazon Research Institute - INPA in Manaus where upon graduation he was hired as a researcher. Three years later he entered the University of Cambridge where he received a Ph.D. The subject of his doctoral dissertation was the uakari monkey, a species endemic to the Mid-Solimões River, Amazonas, which he saw for the first time in a German zoo. His PhD dissertation covered the life of the species, as well as the geology and ecology of the area occupied by the animal. He created a new category of conservation unit in Brazil, The Sustainable Development Reserve which guarantees the permanence of human communities inside the conservation area. He also created The Mamirauá and Amanã Sustainable Development Reserves in the middle Solimões area in the state of Amazonas. In1999, José Márcio Ayres created the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Institute currently under management by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Brazil