We describe a new species of titi monkey Callicebus (Primates: Platyrrhini) from the Department of Caquetá, Colombia, that belongs to the Callicebus cupreus group. Diagnostic characteristics: it is similar in fur color to C. ornatus and C. discolor, but has no white band on the forehead as in C. ornatus and C. discolor, and the hands and feet are not white as they are in C. ornatus. The karyotype of this species is 2n=46, and very similar to that published for C. cupreus. Comparing it to neighboring species, it is more similar cytologically to C. discolor than to C. ornatus. It should be classified as Critically Endangered (CR) due to the severe fragmentation of its habitat and very small population.

Endemic to the Atlantic Forest, the southern brown howler monkey, Alouatta clamitans, can still be found in forest fragments in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in the south of Brazil. The Urban Monkeys Program (UMP) has been monitoring their numbers since 1994. Here we report on the results of the initial surveys carried out from 1994 to 1996 and discuss the variables that are determining the loss or survival of the howler monkey groups. We also examine how our results have influenced the politics of land use over the last ten years (1997–2007). Porto Alegre has an area of 47,630 ha. About 30% is a rural/urban matrix and the remainder is entirely urban. There are 44 hills in the municipality and all have been affected by human occupation and activities. We overlaid a grid on a map 1/50,000, with quadrates of 1 km² divided into four quadrates of 500 m² each. We surveyed all the quadrates that contained forest. The presence of howler monkeys was recorded by direct observation, the presence of feces, and by their vocalizations. Complementary information was obtained by talking to the local people. We used a field protocol to record the absence or presence of howlers, habitat quality and the extent and type of human disturbance or use. We surveyed 5,125 ha and found howler monkeys in 2,921 ha (57%). The physiognomy, altitude and connectivity with forest in other quadrates were the three predictors of the presence of howler monkeys. Reasons for this include the fact that human use for such as agriculture, cattle breeding, housing estates, and roads is more concentrated in the lowlands than in the more hilly areas. Our findings suggest that the brown howler monkeys of Porto Alegre live as a meta-population. We participated in forums to discuss land use and management decisions. UMP influenced the creation of 895 ha of municipal protected areas over the 10 years. UMP initiated a civil enquiry concerning problems of the electrocution of howler monkeys using power lines. Two years after, as a result, the Rio Grande do Sul State Electricity Company insulated the cables in the areas where they presented a hazard. In 2002, a bill of amendment was passed (municipal law no 482/99), which provided for tax exemption for landowners who conserve natural areas or use their land for agriculture. Our recommendations for the future include: 1) maintenance of the current rural matrix in the south of Porto Alegre; 2) the creation of the “Morro São Pedro Natural Park”; 3) the establishment of a federal strategy for primate conservation in urban areas in Brazil; and 4) the inclusion of a criterion concerning human population density in the areas of occurrence for the threatened categories of the IUCN Red List.

The paper ‘Aotus diversity and the species problem’ (Defler and Bueno 2007, Primate Conserv. 22: 55–77) reviewed the distribution of the Aotus karyotypes in Panama and Colombia. It included a discussion of a night monkey from Maipures, Vichada, Colombia, that we captured live and karyotyped for a project at the Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia, in 1983. In 1984, in an unpublished manuscript, we hypothesized that this specimen was a natural hybrid of Aotus brumbacki. Our identification was based on the karyotype G-band patterns, capture location, fur color, and a skin and skull preserved at the Instituto de Desarrollo de Los Recursos Naturales y Renovables (INDERENA), Bogotá, now at the Instituto de Alejandro von Humboldt. Defler and Bueno (2007) had interpreted the karyotype by assuming that all 50 chromosomes were paired. However, the authors had used data from an indistinct photograph of a karyotype without G-bands. This prompted us to review our original data using contemporary digital techniques to re-examine the G-band pattern origins of the chromosomes and further define the karyotype. We used precise chromosome G-band measurements and digital arm-ratio analyses to provide convincing evidence that the specimen is in fact a hybrid of Aotus brumbacki.

The design and implementation of effective conservation measures for primates requires an efficient and accessible resource for the identification of species and subspecies. A total of 487 photographs (June 2010) on five on-line maps, called ‘Photographic Maps’ (or ‘PhotoMaps’), present the phenotypic characters for 15 species and 26 subspecies of primates at 82 sites in Kenya and Tanzania. The PhotoMaps, at <wildsolutions.nl>, provide a ‘living’ collection of photographs. More photographs will be uploaded as they become available. PhotoMaps are a practical tool for documenting and discussing primate diversity, taxonomy, biogeography, distribution and conservation status and, therefore, for developing and implementing actions for primate conservation. The use of photographs to document phenotypic characters will become increasingly important as the collection of specimens for hands-on assessments becomes ever more difficult.

Cercopithecus solatus is a recently discovered monkey endemic to Gabon, present in parts of the Lopé National Park and the Forêt des Abeilles in the center of the country. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List (2010) due to its restricted extent of occurrence and continuing decline in population caused by high hunting pressure. All known field observations of this species are compiled here. Data collected since 1999 show that C. solatus occurs further to the south, east, and west than was previously known, and that its extent of occurrence almost certainly includes three national parks, rather than one.

Hybridization in the wild between broadly sympatric species has been reported for 13 species of African primates. Three guenons, believed to be Sykes's monkey Cercopithecus mitis × vervet monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus hybrids, are reported here; two at Diani on the south coast of Kenya and one at Ngong Forest Sanctuary, Nairobi. These are the first records of hybridization between these broadly sympatric species, as well as between these genera. Most of the phenotypic characters of these hybrids are intermediate between the parent species. This paper (1) describes these hybrids and the environments in which they live; (2) briefly reviews hybridization among Africa's primates; (3) describes scent-marking behavior by one of the hybrids; (4) briefly reviews scent-marking among Africa's monkeys; (5) discusses the environmental circumstances that may weaken genetic barriers and facilitate hybridization; and (6) suggests topics for research on the ecology, behavior, and evolutionary significance of these three hybrids.

We report here the first close examination in 70 years of the Horton Plains slender loris, Loris tardigradus (lydekkerianus) nycticeboides, previously known only from two collected specimens and a number of sightings from eye-shine. Photographic and morphometric data presented here enable a preliminary assessment of the possible distinctive endomorphic features of this loris in comparison to its sister species and subspecies. This loris clearly demonstrates adaptations to montane forest, as previously suggested from the preserved skins of the holotype and paratype. Confirmation of the continued existence of this loris raises familiar concerns over its taxonomic distinctiveness, its apparent low abundance in a highly fragmented and diminishing habitat, and the actions necessary to eliminate the threats to its survival.

A monkey population allied to François' leaf monkey Trachypithecus francoisi discovered in 1920 constitutes the taxon laotum, endemic to Lao PDR. The next seven decades provided very little additional information about it. Wildlife surveys in the 1990s found a large population of T. (f.) laotum in Phou Hinpoun (=Khammouan Limestone) National Protected Area (NPA) and north into southern Nam Kading NPA, and a large population in and around Hin Namno NPA of T. (f.) ebenus, known outside Lao PDR only from adjoining Vietnam. Detailed here are confirmed records of smaller and more localized populations of leaf monkeys of the T. francoisi group (sensu Groves 2001, 2005, p. 175) from two other areas (Nakai—Nam Theun NPA and a region outside the protected area system, Muang (= District of) Vilabouli, in Savannakhet province), highly plausible reports from one more site, and records of T. (f.) ebenus from southern Phou Hinpoun NPA. Animals from Nakai—Nam Theun NPA and Muang Vilabouli differ in pelage from reported forms, and further information is required to resolve their taxonomy in relation to the named forms hatinhensis and ebenus. All Lao records of the Trachypithecus francoisi group leaf monkeys are within the latitudinal band of 16°58′N (probably 16°49′N) to 18°17′N, but reports from local people suggest the possibility of occurrence north of this latitude, and perhaps (parallel with the complex's distribution in Vietnam) north to the Chinese border. Populations in large karst landscapes remain healthy but cannot be assumed to remain so, and those in smaller karst and non-calcareous ranges are highly vulnerable to hunting-induced local extinction. Many uncertainties remain concerning the species-complex in Lao PDR: its overall distribution, the number of forms present, their distribution, and their taxonomy. Undescribed forms may yet be found, most likely to the north of the known range, where threats are much higher, adding to the urgency for surveys in this region.

The golden langur, Trachypithecus geei, is an endangered species endemic to India and Bhutan. Its distribution is limited to a small forest belt in western Assam in Northeast India and Bhutan, between the River Manas in the east, River Sankosh in the west and the Brahmaputra in the south. Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary straddling Kokrajhar and Dhubri districts of Assam is the only protected habitat for the golden langur in India. From December 2006 to January 2007, we carried out the first survey of the golden langur in the sanctuary. Data were collected using line transects and total counts. We counted 474 individuals in 64 troops in and around the sanctuary through direct sightings. Group size ranged from 3 to 15 individuals, with a mean size of 7.4. The adult sex ratio was 1:1.53, and the ratio of adult females to infants was 1:0.617. The age structure of the population counted comprised 49.8% adults, 33.5% juveniles and 16.7% infants. Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) and illegal felling were found to be the major threats for golden langur in this protected habitat. We hope that this report will help guide future conservation efforts for the golden langur and for the management of the Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary.

A field survey was conducted in 2008–2009 in the Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, India, to investigate the status and distribution of the eastern hoolock gibbon there. The data were collected using line transects (trails covering all representative areas of the sanctuary) and by registering calling groups. We recorded 157 groups of gibbon in the sanctuary, of which 28 were directly sighted and 129 groups were registered by their calling. Of the 88 individuals seen, 61.4% were adults, 22.7% juveniles and 15.9% infants. Average group size was 3.14, with an adult sex ratio of 1:1. The survey also confirmed the presence of capped langur (Trachypithecus pileatus), Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis), rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) and slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis) in the sanctuary. We identified encroachment, jhum cultivation, horticulture, selective logging and inadequate infrastructure as being the major threats for the hoolock gibbon and other wildlife in the sanctuary. Although the gibbons were not hunted, hunting was evidently a threat to other wildlife in the sanctuary.

The western hoolock gibbon (Hoolock hoolock) and eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys) are the two representatives of gibbons in India. Their distribution is restricted to the south bank of the Dibang-Brahmaputra river system in the northeast. The western hoolock gibbon has the wider distribution of the two, occurring in all of the seven states of the Northeast region, namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Manipur. It was thought that, in India, the eastern hoolock gibbon was restricted to the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Here, we report the occurrence of this species in three reserve forests of the Sadiya sub-division of the Tinsukia District of the state of Assam, extending the previously known range of the species in the country.

Tourism is a common component of management practices directed toward endangered species and habitats, but few studies have explored the potential stressors that may occur to nonhumans as objects of tourism. We examined the impact that tourists have on provisioned, habituated Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana). Data were collected during August 2005 at the Valley of the Wild Monkeys (VWM), Mt. Huangshan, China. From a tourist viewing platform, we measured tourist densities, behaviors (for example, foot, hand, and mouth noises; mimicking monkeys; throwing objects or food), and decibel levels. Frequencies of monkey threats in the provisioning area of their range were recorded. The tourists' collective behaviors correlated with monkey threats (Pearson's correlations; r=0.391, p=0.014), as did decibel levels on the viewing platform (r=0.334, p=0.038). No relationship between tourist density and monkey threats, or between particular tourist behaviors and monkey threats, was significant. Based on these results, we recommend park staff be trained on how to discourage noise often associated with tourists and regulate prohibited tourist behaviors, such as feeding the monkeys. Enforcement of park rules will decrease chances that tourist-monkey interactions at VWM will escalate into situations where injuries occur, as has happened at some other macaque tourism sites. Finally, we suggest the development of tourist education materials.

The Bengal slow loris Nycticebus bengalensis is a nocturnal prosimian that inhabits the forests of northeastern India. As with many nocturnal prosimian species, little is known about its behavior or ecology; even less information is available on its distribution and population status in northeastern India. We conducted a survey of forest patches in the state of Meghalaya, in northeast India, in order to assess its distribution. A secondary aim of our study was to estimate the severity of threats that may affect the long-term survival of the slow loris in Meghalaya. We surveyed sixteen sites in six districts. Slow lorises were seen in only two sites; however, information obtained through secondary sources indicated that they were present in a number of other forest patches across the state. Many of the forests surveyed were severely affected by logging, poaching and forest fires; it is imperative that conservation measures, aimed at protecting existing forest patches, be implemented in order to ensure the long-term survival of the slow loris and other mammals in the state.

The golden-headed or Cat Ba langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus poliocephalus) is endemic to Cat Ba Island in northern Vietnam. Two free-ranging groups were studied for 22 days of data collection. Behavioral data were collected via instantaneous scan sampling for determining the time budget, activity pattern and vertical ranging pattern of these groups. The langurs spent two thirds of their time resting, 15% foraging, 11% moving and 8% in social activities. Time budgets differed between age classes, with infants and juveniles spending more time being social. The activity pattern of the groups revealed that the langurs rested mostly during the morning and at midday when most of the social behavior was also observed. Foraging and moving occurred more often in the morning and afternoon, with foraging being more pronounced later in the day. With respect to their ranging, the langurs spent most of their time in the higher elevations, but foraged more in the lower elevations of the hills where they live. In this study, we show that the best time to census this Critically Endangered species is from sunrise till 12:00 am.

The natural distribution of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) extends from South to East Asia, with substantial morphological variation among populations from different geographic locations. In the following report we compare morphometric measurements from rhesus macaques from Bangladesh to measurements from free-ranging rhesus in Nepal and captive rhesus populations originating in China and India. Our data indicate that Bangladeshi rhesus are morphologically similar to populations in South Asia, particularly India, and distinct from rhesus macaques originating in China. Our results also indicate that relative to the South Asian population samples, the rhesus macaques originating from China are distinct morphometrically.