Minerals are essential components of animal nutrition, playing a crucial role in health, reproduction, and survival. Studies show that mineral intake varies by species, habitat, and season. This study evaluates the mineral composition of food consumed by black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra), an endangered primate in southeastern Mexico, considering differences among habitats (fragmented vs. conserved), strata (terrestrial vs. arboreal), seasons (rainy, dry, and Nortes), and food types. Leaves, fruits, and lianas (N = 84) were analyzed to estimate intake of key minerals (Ca, P, Mg, and K) in absolute (g/day) and proportional (% dry matter) terms. Results showed that foods from the forest fragment had higher concentrations of Ca (1.80 +/- 1.06%) and Mg (0.37 +/- 0.11%) and lower Na (0.01 +/- 0.01) compared to the conserved forest (Ca: 0.76 +/- 0.67%; Mg: 0.28 +/- 0.1%; Na: 0.04 +/- 0.01). Based on daily intake, Ca, P, and Mg were the most important. Seasonality influenced diet: during the Nortes season, Ca (2.20 g/day) and P (23.09 g/day) intake increased, linked to greater consumption of young leaves, with potential physiological implications due to their high concentrations. Mature leaves contributed over 50% of essential minerals like Ca, Mg, and Mn, while immature fruits were key sources of P and Cu. Ca intake in fragmented habitats was notably high, possibly with physiological implications. These findings underscore the role of dietary diversity in meeting mineral needs in fragmented environments. Despite mineral variation among foods, black howler monkeys attempted to meet requirements through varied food sources, reinforcing the importance of conserving plant diversity in fragmented ecosystems.

Las comunidades rurales e indígenas mantienen una estrecha relación con las especies de animales silvestres con las que comparten su entorno, utilizándolas como medicina, fuente de alimento e incorporándolas en sus creencias y prácticas culturales. El objetivo de este estudio fue documentar el conocimiento, uso, percepción, valor cultural y nomenclatura tradicional de especies silvestres de anfibios, aves, mamíferos terrestres y reptiles en siete localidades de origen totonaco en la región Norte-Nororiental de Puebla, México, mediante la aplicación de cuestionarios y entrevistas semiestructuradas (n=135). Se identificaron un total de 67 especies (siete anfibios, 22 aves, 28 mamíferos y 10 reptiles) y se registraron percepciones asociadas a 62 de ellas, así como los nombres en totonaco de 57 animales y los usos tradicionales de 52 de ellos. Las especies con mayor importancia cultural fueron Dasypus novemcinctus, Boa imperator, Bothrops asper, Rupornis magnirostris, loros de especie no identificada de la familia Psittacidae, Sciurus aureogaster/S. deppei y Canis latrans, representando mamíferos, aves y reptiles. Al analizar la frecuencia de mención de cada especie, registramos una amplia variedad de usos y valores atribuidos a estas y muchas otras especies. Nuestros resultados destacan la gran importancia de los animales silvestres para las comunidades totonacas, así como la necesidad de considerar sus prácticas tradicionales e integrar su conocimiento y creencias en los esfuerzos de conservación al plantear iniciativas de conservación.

Microplastic pollution is an emerging conservation threat to wildlife in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. However, little is known about its presence in terrestrial ecosystems. How microplastics threaten non-human primates remains poorly understood, and to our knowledge, no study following established methods has been conducted on the American continent. Therefore, this study aimed to detect the presence of microplastics in the feces of the endangered Mexican howler monkey (Alouatta palliata mexicana) from the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve, Veracruz, Mexico. We analyzed 66 fecal samples and found that >90% contained microplastics confirmed by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), with a mean abundance of 1.49 +/- 1.63 particles/g dry weight (DW). The Polymer Hazard Index (PHI) for the polymer detected in fecal samples was calculated, and of the 31 polymer types identified, 12 fell into one of the hazard categories. PHI values ranged from 0.01 to 401.22 and were classified into hazard levels I to IV. These findings emphasize the urgent need for information on the presence and potential consequences of microplastic exposure in endangered terrestrial species.

Howler monkeys are known for their ability to adapt to various habitat types, including modified environments. Despite howlers' adaptability, habitat disturbances can negatively affect their local populations. In this context, agroecosystems may play a key role in improving connectivity between forest fragments, facilitating wildlife movement. Las Choapas, Veracruz, Mexico, is a municipality where forested areas have been heavily modified by deforestation and still harbor a population of mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata). In this report, we document one direct observation and anecdotal accounts of A. palliata using the canopy of tropical pine (Pinus caribaea and Pinus elliottii) plantations for travel between forest fragments and as potential resting sites. These findings provide a new account of the role agroforestry plantations can play in improving landscape connectivity within disturbed forest matrices.

Law enforcement effectiveness is a key strategy for understanding how wildlife trafficking is addressed and sanctioned upon detection or occurrence. To this end, an evaluation model of institutional response to wildlife crimes was developed to assess how these offenses are managed and penalized. The institutional response to wildlife crimes in Mexico between 2016 and 2024 was assessed using a systemic model that integrates 14 indices of capacity, efficiency, surveillance, and judicialization. The findings reveal low budgetary efficiency, high levels of impunity (SII > 0.98), and an alarming decline in conviction rates. Only 11 states reported prosecuted wildlife crimes. This model helps identify systemic bottlenecks and can guide multisectoral strategies to strengthen environmental governance.

Howler monkeys are considered high-quality seed dispersers; however, the changes that seeds undergo after passing through their digestive tract, which influence their germination capacity, are still unknown. In this study, we assessed whether the consumption of seeds from three species of the Moraceae family by mantled howler monkeys results in seed coat scarification, and whether this treatment enhances their permeability to water and germination rate. Using seeds from fruits, we induced chemical scarification of their outer coat, and with these, intact seeds and seeds found in droppings, we conducted micromorphological analyses, water permeability tests and germination assays. We observed that the passage of seeds through the digestive tract of mantled howler monkeys did not scarify their outer coat, nor did it enhance their water absorption capacity. There was both a positive and negative effect on the germination of Ficus americana and Ficus insipida seeds, respectively. Chemical scarification of the seeds, although it reduced their coat thickness, did not increase water permeability, significantly decreased their viability, and prevented germination. These results suggest that, in the case of small seeds, scarification is not a relevant treatment for germination and may, in fact, be unfavorable. Therefore, the importance of seed consumption by mantled howler monkeys, and other frugivores, may lie in the removal of pulp in terms of the facilitation of germination. Thus, by moving, releasing and cleaning the seeds, these animals may increase the probability that they will encounter adequate environmental conditions for germination and establishment.

In a global scenario marked by the loss of dietary diversity and the rise of metabolic diseases, there is an urgent need to reconsider the biological and evolutionary foundations of human nutrition. Nutritional anthropology incorporates comparative models with non-human primates to understand how dietary patterns are regulated in diverse environmental contexts. From this perspective, we propose that primates such as howler monkeys (Alouatta spp.) may serve as relevant models for understanding strategies of nutritional resilience in humans. Through an analysis of feeding ecology, dietary nutrient composition, secondary compound intake, and physiological adaptations, we argue that the trophic flexibility of howler monkeys reflects adaptive principles shared with humans, including protein leverage, prioritization of functional resources, and resilience in nutritionally constrained environments. This comparative approach seeks to enrich our understanding of dietary and nutritional transitions in humans, particularly in rural communities or those at risk of dietary homogenization, as recently documented in studies on the traditional Mexican diet. Finally, we advocate for a stronger integration of primatology, nutritional ecology, and nutritional anthropology to develop interdisciplinary frameworks that can inform and guide food policy development.

Strengthening research capacity is essential to address the global biodiversity crisis. Yet, parachute science often undermines this goal, and its prevalence, costs, and benefits are unclear. We analyzed 13,502 publications on primate research that we extracted from Scopus (1960-2022) to evaluate the effects of parachute science on local research capacity across primate-range countries. We categorized these publications as local (LRP), collaborative (CRP), or parachute science (PSRP) research publications and categorized countries where the research took place as low- to middle-income countries or high- to upper-middle-income countries. We used generalized linear mixed-effects models to assess how parachute science influenced local research capacity. For 69% of PSRPs, the research was conducted in 59 low- to middle-income countries. For 20% of LRPs, research was led by people from these 59 countries. The disparity in LRPs among country groups was large. Local research publications in high- to upper-middle-income countries were at least 3.6 times higher than those in low- to middle-income countries. Before 2013, parachute science contributed to an increase in LRPs; this trend reversed after 2013, mainly resulting in a decline in LRPs across all countries and both income categories. Strengthening the capacity to share research in low- to middle-income countries is urgent if international conservation commitments are to be met. We recommend establishing true collaborative and interdisciplinary research teams, expanding local research opportunities, and supporting long-term research projects as key strategies for sustainable research capacity strengthening in low-income countries.

Environmental education aims to foster knowledge, awareness, and appreciation for nature and can encompass various formats, including festivals. The traveling festival "Changos y Monos va a tu comunidad" is inspired by previous initiatives and aims to promote the conservation of primates in southeast Mexico. The festival involved focused activities, mainly for children, such as talks, games, and exhibitions. It has been held on ten occasions, reaching approximately 700 people from nine localities. Unlike other events, its execution does not require a large budget due to the short duration, the use of small spaces, and because it can be conducted in parallel with field research, which has facilitated its funding. Although no systematic evaluation of the impact of this initiative has been conducted, it is evident that the festival gained notoriety among people in various locations in the region, suggesting "Changos y Monos va a tu comunidad" represents a significant contribution to the conservation of wild Mexican primates.

Phenolics, like tannins, are plant-specialized metabolites that play a protective role against herbivory. Tannins can reduce palatability and bind with proteins to reduce digestibility, acting as deterrents to feeding and impacting nutrient extraction by herbivores. Some assays measure tannin and total phenolics content in plants but lack determination of their biological effects, hindering the interpretation of tannin function in herbivory and its impacts on animal behavior and ecology. In this study, we successfully applied the radial diffusion assay to assess tannin protein precipitation (PP) capacity and evaluate the anti-nutritional effects of tannins in food plants ( n  = 24) consumed by free-ranging black howler monkeys ( Alouatta pigra ) in Tabasco, Mexico. We found PP rings in five plant species consumed by the monkeys. The mature fruit of Inga edulis was the most consumed food plant, despite having a high tannin PP capacity (56.66 mg tannic acid equivalent/g dry matter). These findings highlight the presence of tannins in the black howler diet and provide insight into the primates' resilience and potential strategies for coping with anti-nutritional aspects of the diet.

Tropical montane cloud forests are known for their unique biodiversity and their critical role in sustaining ecosystem services; however, approximately 50% of their original cover in Mexico was estimated to have been lost by 1998. The Mexican ecoregion that supports these ecosystems experienced one of the highest rates of deforestation between 2001 and 2021. Thus, a more recent evaluation of Mexico's cloud forests is required. There is limited data on the landscape structure of cloud forests in Mexico, despite the possible application of landscape factors in conservation planning. Here, we estimated the average total area, number of patches, effective mesh size, total edge, and the shape of mixed forests that was present in 2020 within polygons of cloud forests defined in 1999 by Mexico's National Commission for the Use and Knowledge of Biodiversity (CONABIO for its acronym in Spanish). We estimated land cover using data from the North American Land Change Monitoring System, which classifies cloud forests as mixed forests. We found that eight out of the 109 polygons have no mixed forests and that an average of 49% of the 1,768,914 ha of cloud forests polygons are now covered by mixed forests distributed across 13 states. Additionally, within the remaining 101 polygons that do contain this type of vegetation, mixed forest is distributed on average across 140 patches (range = 1-1,473); 80% of these forests have very low effective mesh size values; 90% of them have low total edge values (<2,000 km); and their shapes tend to be uniformly distributed. Furthermore, most of cloud forest polygons are located outside of federal protected areas. Overall, our results suggest that the remaining Mexican cloud forests are extremely vulnerable and fragmented and that their extent has steadily declined since 1999. To ensure the survival of Mexican cloud forests, it will be crucial to prioritize high-diversity areas, strengthen protection in critical zones, establish ecological corridors, encourage sustainable practices, and actively engage local communities. This study highlights the complex issues and inherent heterogeneity that characterize cloud forest ecosystems in Mexico and provides crucial insights for conservation.

Knowledge of the geographic distributions of species is fundamental for conservation management. Ateles fusciceps rufiventris is currently listed as Vulnerable. It is found in Colombia and Panamá and may be present in Ecuador. It has been subject to very few studies and its true current conservation status is unknown. We used 3 years of interviews and field observations to determine its current distribution in Colombia, complemented with searches of the literature and databases for the entire range. We evaluated the quality of available habitat using a publicly available data layer of forest integrity information and niche modeling. We estimated the original and current extent of occurrence (EOO) of the taxon based on an ecological niche model (ENM) using MaxEnt and calculated the area of occupancy (AOO) for Colombia, where we conducted field sampling. We also identified the main threats to the subspecies during our interviews and field observations. Of the 39 sites we visited, we confirmed the presence of A. f. rufiventris by direct observation or secondary information at 15 (38