|
| |
 Project
Tamarin
Research - Education - Conservation
Cotton-Top Tamarin in Colombia
 Cotton-top
tamarin
(Saguinus oedipus)
Population
Estimates:
1995: Fewer than 2000
1998: 2-3000
Status: The species has been Endangered
since 1973 following the exportation of 20,000-40,000 tamarins to the United
States for use in biomedical research Today the greatest threat to the survival
of the cotton-top tamarin is deforestation for agriculture, fuel, and housing,
in addition to collection for the local pet trade in Colombia.
Found: South America,
Colombia
Little is known of tamarin life
in the wild however on-going field research by Titi has lead to increased
knowledge in fields including:
Habitat: The
cotton-top is found in tropical forest edges and secondary forests, in wet
tropical forests, moist forest and dry thorn forest savannah. Habitat analysis
show Cotton-top tamarins have an extremely limited distribution within humid
tropical forest at heights ranging from 200-1000 m, where the annual rainfall is
between 2000-4000 mm. Populations also occur in dry tropical forest with low
seasonal rainfall. Titi estimate that 18% of habitat has been lost in the last
10 years both from protected areas and forests on private lands. Further
analysis of viable habitat and reforestation possibility is ongoing.
Size: This
arboreal (tree living) and diurnal (active in the day rather than at night)
primate is one of the most endangered primates in the world and, along with
marmosets, are the smallest primates in South America. About the size of a
squirrel they weigh, on average, 404-417g (in the wild) - Like a tin of Beans
.Head to tail length: 23.07 cm
Description: The face is black,
temples and sides of head are covered with short silvery hairs and the large
shock of white fur on its head gives the cotton-top tamarin its name.
Diet: The cotton-top tamarin eats fruit,
insects, new leaves or buds, and small vertebrates. The populations around
project Titi feed from 50/60 different plant species mainly fruit including
mango, cactus, papaya. They are important seed dispersants in the rainforest.
Social Organization: Titi are building
pictures of group size and composition - Groups of cotton-top tamarins may
include 2-10 individuals with 3 - 9 being most common. Containing usually only 1
reproductively active male and female. Individuals in these groups are not
necessarily all related. Further enquiry is ongoing into emigration and
immigration.- In addition to a dominant mated pair and their young, there may be
transient individuals, probably young animals of both sexes. The home ranges of
adjacent groups overlap substantially.
Reproduction: After a gestation
period of around 140 days the cotton-top tamarin usually gives birth to twins.
Babies are weaned in about 8-10 weeks. Reproductively active females are also
capable of influencing the fertility of other females in the group. Titi are in
the process of examining the factors determining reproductive events of
different populations of wild tamarins. This will allow us to compare the
reproductive cycles of both wild and captive tamarins and examine the things
that regulate/affect fertility in the wild. Parental care: Parental care in this
species is shared by all group members. Titi findings indicate: If an animal has
never carried an infant on its back while it was in its family it will abuse its
own offspring. However, if the animal has experience caring for offspring prior
to reproduction, it will successfully care for its offspring. Interestingly,
non-natal animals are actively involved in infant care and are often observed
assuming sentinel positions in their new groups. An animal never carries infants
while vigilant.
The
Problem(s):
Colombia: Colombia
Is well known for being unstable and its capital Bogotá is
known as the murder capital of the world. Guerrilla warfare, terrorism,
kidnappings, murder, abductions all make it a very unstable environment in which
to develop any kind of project.
Drug Cultivation (& emerald wars): 73%, up to 100,000 acres every year
of the Andes has been lost because of migration and drug cultivation/% of
Colombia's land is owned by just 3% of the elite.
Poverty, inequality & unemployment:71% of Colombia's land is owned by
just 3% of the elite. The top 20% of the population earn up to 6 or 7 times more
than the bottom 20%. At least 19% of the population
live below subsistence level.
Economy: Colombian economy is based upon the
export of oil, flowers, coffee, bananas – all primary products which cause
deforestation
 Wildlife
trade: An estimated 350 million live
animals are traded around the world every year and Colombia is a leading
participator. 90% of the animals will die before leaving the country. Out of
every 100 birds smuggled just one will survive
Habitat Loss
- Dams:
The Urra I Dam flooded more than 7,000 hectares of primary and secondary forest
within Parramillo National Park – One of the last sanctuaries for Tamarins.
Urra II which is nearly ready will flood an additional 47,000 hectares. (181
square miles—an area the size of Andorra)
Habitat Loss -
Deforestation: Species regardless of
size need large areas of forests to survive:
Among the top 10 for deforestation over the
last three decades Colombia has lost more than 30% of its natural forest with
between 1.5 –2.2 million acres being destroyed every year. Only 27% of Cloud
forest remains. 98% of Tropical dry forest has been lost. much of it for
agriculture, housing and cattle raising.
click to download our species need space
to find the typical areas needed by
species
The Solution(s)
SUSTAINABLE ALTERNATIVES:
Coloso & St Catalina are 2 Colombian
villages in economically depressed areas, there is electric in the village but
the majority cook on open fires. - partly because of costs and also it’s the
“norm” An average family of 5 consumes 15 logs (1 –1.5 meters) daily with
no efforts to replenish stocks.
In many traditional communities, food is cooked
over an open fire. This method of cooking consumes large quantities of firewood
and often produces large amounts of smoke. In Colombia, most Campecinos cook
food over an open fire. They position 3 stones to balance the cooking pot on.
In an effort to reduce the amount of firewood
that is consumed Titi began to look for alternatives. In their search, they
discovered the "binde," a small cooking stove that was traditionally
made from a termite mounds. Campecinos who cooked using bindes said that they
burned less fuel than cooking over an open fire.
The problem with the traditional method of making
bindes out of termite mounds is that it required going into the forest to find a
termite mound, bring it back to the village, and fashion it into a binde. The
problem with the traditional binde is that although they conserved more fuel,
they wouldn't last very long, often cracking and disintegrating with repeated
use. So the team of Proyecto Tití worked on a project to make bindes better,
"and that is what we want to share with you!"
How they will
help to conserve forest habitat?
Titi have developed a method of making bindes that
significantly reduce the amount of firewood that is consumed. Their studies have
shown that a family of 5 uses on average 15 logs a day when cooking over an open
fire, but when using a binde you burn only 5 logs a day. Successful
in reducing deforestation . And the even better news
is that you can burn just about anything in a binde (corn husks, yucca tassels,
etc.)!
Follow easy step by step
directions to help you make a binde at
http://proyectotiti.com/Pages/binde.htm
Great for
school projects !
EDUCATION & AWARENESS:
90% of kids did not realise that Cotton topped
tamarins could not be found any  where
else in the world nor just how endangered Tamarins are.
Approximately 70% of high school students had never visited the forest even
though for some it was only 4km away. Most thought the forest to be a dangerous
place, filled with poisonous snakes and other creatures.
ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVES:
Stuffed Tamarins instead of
real ones
Trading in sling shots: Local villagers
were encouraged to trade in their “sling shots” - a prized possession in
poor communities commonly used to hunt and capture pets, for the pet
trade, in exchange for making stuffed Tamarin toys. Numbers being
caught and sold have dropped significantly in villages. We currently stock
these tamarins in our "park shop"
Hand made helping to generate employment and contribute to the effort of
bringing peace to Colombia.
For further info check out
http://proyectotiti.com/
| |
Latest
News
June 2007
WPF sponsors Red Howler Festival
MORE June
2007 - new wild tigers photographed
and second school opens in Sumatra funded by STT MORE
May 2007
Latest news from Spectacled Bear Project - Peru MORE May
2007 Annual
report from Ecolombia. New babies latest photos
MORE 2007 Latest reports from Tiger patrol teams
in Sumatra MORE
2007 Niger prepares emergency food
aid for 1 million
2007
Latest Pictures of the bears of
Chaparri
Azulina
Cholita
Milagros
Tongo
Rosita
Reque 2007 Are
Niger's giraffes a fading spot on the horizon latest
Peru November
2006
Two new young Andean Bears rescued and
being reared for release into the wild.
Motorbike and Cameras provided for Bear
release programme
Indonesia October 2006
New area of Sumatra is supported by Tiger
Protection units (Bukit Duabelas NP and a very positive new management proposal
for Sumatra put forward to the Indonesian government for providing tiger
protection and monitoring in existing Four large areas in Sumatra.
Colombia August 2006 
Rescued Howler Monkey Released To the Wild - gives birth more
Peru May 2006 Andean Condor release platform
complete more
|
The
Wildlife Protection
Foundation
