Belize Howlers & birds

Belize.  Black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) are a globally threatened species which live only on the Yucatan Peninsula where they share their forested habitat with extensive human populations.  In a novel initiative, landowners along the Belize River have been willing to limit deforestation of riparian habitat in exchange for some financial benefit from the ecotourism that would arrive to see the howler monkeys in the forest. 

Building of years of howler studies at Lamanai and in this Community Baboon Sanctuary, this new project will focus on following family groups of howler monkeys and mistnetting fruit-eating birds.  By understand the role of primates and birds in dispersing seeds of forest trees we can facilitate their role in the regeneration of degraded forests. 

We apply the knowledge gained from this research to help design experiments on forest regeneration in degraded areas.  By monitoring the growth of the plants and the use of these plants by the forest birds and mammals we can better understand the process of restoration while simultaneously restoring the forest itself.  The use of tree species favored by the dispersers encourages future use of these habitats by the dispersers themselves.  Ideally, they will bring with them the great diversity of seeds which serve to convert a collection of volunteer-planted trees into a ecologically functional tropical forest.