Área de uso de um grupo de macacos-prego-galego Cebus flavius (SCHREBER, 1774) em fragmento de mata atlântica na Paraíba.

Abstract

Área de uso de um grupo de macacos-prego-galego Cebus flavius (SCHREBER, 1774) em fragmento de mata atlântica na Paraíba. The Marcgrave‟s capuchin monkey, Cebus flavius (Schreber, 1774) is a capuchin monkey species found in the northeastern Atlantic Forest of Brazil. Although it was rediscovered in 2006 (OLIVEIRA; LANGGUTH, 2006) this species is already critically endangered in the IUCN Red List. There are scare information on the biology, ecology and behavior of this animal and because of this lack of information, become increasingly necessary studies on this species so that we can set goals for their survival. The aim of this study was to monitor a group of C. flavius in an Atlantic Forest area in Mamanguape (PB), to identify their age and sex composition, to estimate its area of use and check the usage of their habitat. Monthly visits were made to the area between August 2010 and May 2011. During the months from September to December 2010 we used radio telemetry to find the animals. For data collection, direct observations of animals were applied. Gender, age (infant, youth, adult), their behavior (eating / foraging, moving, resting, sleeping) were noted and the location of the group was recorded with GPS equipment every 15 min. To calculate the size of the home range was used the methods of the Minimum Convex Polygon (MPC) and Monthly Dissolved polygons. It was difficult to monitor the group due to non-habituation of animals to researchers. As a result, we have estimated the area of use for 149.11 ha there for the MPC method. Through Monthly Dissolved polygons, where the study area was divided into three smaller areas, the area values were used: Area 1 = 21.81 ha, Area 2 = 0.82 ha and Area 3 = 35.63 ha, comprising a use area measuring 58.26 ha which shows that a value lower than the MPC. The group is composed of 09 individuals: 02 adult females, 03 adult males, 01 juvenile female, 01 infant and 02 juveniles with indeterminate sex, the small group size is a concern and also may reflect the fragmentation and other threats present. Thus, these results indicate that the group of C. flavius uses the study area according to the distribution of food resources and that their size and age and sex composition requires interventions to population management and habitat.