In a tropical ecosystem more threatened than the Amazon, a troop of willowy golden-gray monkeys can be found traversing through the emerald-green canopy.
Karen Strier, a scientist, has been studying the largest monkey in the Americas for over four decades, amidst the Atlantic forest in Minas Gerais state, southeastern Brazil.
When Strier first began her research, there were only 50 northern muriqui monkeys left in the area. Her fascination with these primates was instant, and she has since made it her life’s mission to preserve and protect these creatures. Her work has led to the establishment of one of the world’s longest-running primate studies.
At the brink of extinction due to rampant deforestation and habitat fragmentation, the Northern Muriqui monkeys were almost unknown to scientists when Karen Strier began studying them over four decades ago.
To her amazement, she discovered that they were strikingly different from other large primates such as chimpanzees and mountain gorillas, which have been made famous by the celebrated work of primatologists Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey, respectively.
Despite this difference, Strier was all the more committed to studying the Northern Muriqui monkeys and bringing them to the attention of the global conservation community.
At the time when Karen Strier first began studying primates, research was primarily focused on African and Asian primates.
These primates lived in highly hierarchical societies where dominant males would frequently engage in fights to establish or maintain their power. As a primatologist, Strier had even studied baboons in Kenya for a period of six months.
However, the Northern Muriqui monkeys turned out to be unique among their primate counterparts in Africa and Asia. Instead of engaging in fights, these primates exhibit an extraordinary level of peace and cooperation.
Strier describes the Northern Muriqui monkeys as being “at the far other extreme of peacefulness.”
Karen Strier began her first year of research on the Northern Muriqui monkeys in 1983 by spending 14 months in the rainforest closely observing them.
These monkeys are slender vegetarians and can grow up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) in length, weighing as much as 33 pounds (15 kilograms).
Though they can live up to 45 years, females are only able to give birth once every three years, slowing down efforts to increase the population of this species. Despite this, Strier has persisted in her efforts to protect and repopulate the Northern Muriqui monkeys.
Through her observations, Karen Strier noticed that male Northern Muriqui monkeys spent a considerable amount of time in peaceful proximity to one another, often within arm’s reach. Unlike other primates that engage in violent physical fights to settle disputes over resources, the males of this species wait, avoid, or hug each other.
This remarkable behavior has earned the Northern Muriqui monkey the nickname “hippie monkey” among both the locals and scientists in the region.
Additionally, they have also been referred to as “forest gardeners” because of their significant role as seed dispersers. They consume fruits from tall trees that many other animals cannot reach and then defecate the seeds on the forest floor, aiding in the growth of new vegetation.
Karen Strier’s early research on Northern Muriqui monkeys also uncovered unique gender roles within the species. Similar to bonobos, female muriquis are the same size as males, granting them significant autonomy within their society.
Females are known to break off from the group to seek mates, a behavior that contrasts sharply with other large primates. This unusual gender behavior among Northern Muriqui monkeys is an essential aspect of their unique social structures.
Karen Strier, through her long-term study of the Northern Muriqui monkeys, believes that her research has contributed to a better understanding of the diversity among primates. Based on her work in the 2,300-acre Feliciano Miguel Abdala reserve in southeastern Brazil, the Northern Muriqui population has grown to 232, representing one-fifth of the critically endangered species’ overall population.
American primatologist Russell Mittermeier, who introduced Strier to the Northern Muriqui monkeys, attests to the exceptional quality of her research, stating that there are very few primate projects that have been continuously running at this level and quality.
Strier and her team have a personal knowledge of each of the Northern Muriqui monkeys by name, their family relationships, and their physical traits, which they have identified through detailed illustrations of facial pigments.
After suffering a population loss of about a third due to drought and yellow fever, Strier strongly advocates for the creation of forest corridors and other species-reintroduction projects.
One example of Strier’s advocacy is the rescue of two male muriquis in a patch of forest in Ibitipoca, in 2016. This act of rescue was carried out by one of Strier’s former students, Fernanda Pedreira Tabacow after she heard that they were the last remaining males in the area.
Fernanda Pedreira Tabacow, a former student of Karen Strier, expressed her initial thoughts on finding the last two remaining Northern Muriqui males in a patch of forest in Ibitipoca. She thought that it was the last breath of the species in that area.
In a concerted effort to save the declining population of muriqui monkeys, a groundbreaking initiative led by biologist Karen Strier and her team has been implemented.
Facing the imminent threat of extinction, the muriquis desperately needed intervention to ensure their survival. To address this pressing issue, Dr.
Tabacow, a trusted collaborator of Strier’s, decided to relocate a female muriqui to a carefully selected area in the hopes of encouraging mating. Unfortunately, a setback occurred as the female mysteriously disappeared before any successful breeding occurred. Undeterred by this initial setback, the dedicated team felt compelled to explore more drastic measures.
Determined to save these remarkable primates, both male muriquis were relocated to a meticulously curated enclosed space spanning nearly 15 acres in their natural forest habitat. Joining them were three female muriquis who had become disoriented during their quest for companionship, as well as two young orphans in dire need of protection and care.
A year later, in 2020, the arduous experiment produced its first flourishing outcome: the birth of a healthy infant muriqui. This significant milestone provided renewed hope and motivation for the team, bringing them one step closer to their ultimate objective.
Dr. Tabacow, shedding light on the project’s future aspirations, revealed that the ultimate goal is to release the muriquis back into the wilderness once the group has reached a minimum size of at least a dozen members.
Commenting on the project’s success thus far, Dr. Tabacow credited the valuable insights and knowledge gained from Strier’s extensive research. Having access to such a wealth of information proved instrumental in avoiding potential pitfalls and ensuring the project’s overall success.
Acknowledging the absence of established precedents for a project of this magnitude, Dr. Tabacow emphasized the invaluable understanding the team possesses regarding the behavioral patterns and intricacies of the muriqui species. This collective expertise has proven indispensable in guiding their efforts to safeguard the future of these remarkable creatures.
Embracing the spirit of collaboration and shared dedication, a myriad of primatologists, environmentalists, and enthusiasts of the muriqui conservation cause congregated in the small city of Caratinga earlier this month to celebrate Karen Strier’s four decades of uninterrupted research.
In her heartfelt address, Strier expressed her profound gratitude towards her colleagues and the multitude of students who continue to champion her work.
This celebration of Strier’s unwavering commitment and the collective effort devoted to the preservation of muriquis serves as a poignant testament to the profound impact a unified community can have on the conservation of endangered species.
As the curtain falls on the momentous occasion, the mission to save the muriquis continues with unwavering resolve. The journey to protect these unique primates has been fraught with challenges, but the hope that emanates from the birth of each infant muriqui fuels the team’s unwavering determination.
Undoubtedly, the combined knowledge, steadfast dedication, and innovative strategies devised by Strier, Tabacow, and their esteemed colleagues hold the key to a brighter future for the muriquis. As the project progresses and the muriqui population flourishes, these remarkable creatures inch ever closer to re-establishing their rightful place in the untamed wilderness they call home.
During the celebrations for her 40 years of research, Karen Strier used the opportunity to call for the creation of a forest corridor connecting the Feliciano Miguel Abdala reserve to another area 25 miles away.
She highlighted the importance of such a corridor for the northern muriqui’s range, especially considering the devastating effects of a yellow fever outbreak a few years ago, which nearly wiped out the howler monkey population and caused Strier to fear for the muriquis.
She emphasized the fragility of the species and the importance of continued efforts to protect them and their habitat. The call for a forest corridor is a vital aspect of ensuring the survival of these critically endangered primates.