Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi yucatanensis) in the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve: Habitat Use, Ranging Patterns and Threats to Survival

Abstract

The Calakmul Biosphere Reserve is one of the last remaining stands of intact, continuous neotropical forest in Mesoamerica, making it an ideal habitat for spider monkey populations. However, as the climate changes, resource availability threatens to become increasingly variable both in time and space. On top of this, governmental pressure to increase tourism to the Yucatan region via infrastructure development has put spider monkeys - who are historically sensitive to habitat fragmentation - in a vulnerable position. My study looked at five years of data to analyze how spider monkey ranging patterns change over time, how they utilize the habitat within this range, and how their behavior might change as resource availability changes. Results indicate that spider monkeys in Calakmul show an extreme preference for small patches of forest that are low in availability and utilize other habitat types as movement corridors. Monkey subgroups also displayed an ability to adjust to scarcity through changes in subgroup size via fission-fusion and adjustments in ranging patterns. Intensive habitat use next to the reserve’s road renders the population highly vulnerable to disturbances, and future research must monitor spider monkey behavior closely to best inform any development decisions and prevent a decline in abundance.