Howler Monkey Die‐Off in Southern Mexico

In May and June 2024, a die-off of Mexican mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata mexicana) occurred in southern Mexico. This commentary documents the event, attributing it to extreme heatwaves, drought, wildfires, and habitat impoverishment. Despite their reported resilience to habitat disturbances, mantled howler monkey mortality rate in some areas reached 31%. Key evidence points to heatstroke as the primary cause of death, exacerbated by limited hydration and reduced dietary diversity in disturbed habitats. Immediate responses included community-led rescues (e.g., hydrating the monkeys), coordination of rescue activities by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) (e.g., managing donations), involvement of scientists (e.g., monitoring of primate populations), and assistance from government officials (e.g., providing legal support for animal management). This event underscores the urgency of developing action plans to prevent and attend future crises. Among other actions, we highlight (i) establishing primate care infrastructure with medical and rehabilitation centers; (ii) developing protocols and training programs to ensure rapid crisis response; (iii) fostering collaboration among government, NGOs, and academic institutions for effective crisis management; and (iv) developing targeted research on climate change impacts, predictive models, and long-term health monitoring. We emphasize the critical need for coordinated conservation efforts to protect wild primates and maintain natural ecosystem resilience in the face of escalating climate challenges.

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Publication Details

Journal
American Journal of Primatology
Published
2024-09-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23684
Citations
5
Primary Topic
Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
5.15
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article

Howler Monkey Die‐Off in Southern Mexico

Ileana Z. Martínez, Cristina Jasso del Toro, Anaid Cárdenas‐Navarrete, Domingo Canales‐Espinosa et al.
5 citations
American Journal of Primatology
Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
5.15
article

Howler Monkey Die‐Off in Southern Mexico

Ileana Z. Martínez, Cristina Jasso del Toro, Anaid Cárdenas‐Navarrete, Domingo Canales‐Espinosa, Sarie Van Belle, Sandra E. Smith‐Aguilar, Montserrat Franquesa‐Soler, Juan Carlos Serio‐Silva, Javier Hermida‐Lagunes, Gilberto Pozo‐Montuy, Margarita Briseño Jaramillo, Alejandro Coyohua‐Fuentes, Laura Teresa Hernández Salazar, Braulio Pinacho‐Guendulain, Pedro Américo D. Dias, Filippo Aureli, Ariadna Rangel‐Negrín, Brenda Solórzano‐García, Gabriel Ramos‐Fernández, Guadalupe Núñez Martínez, Denise Spaan, Liliana Cortés‐Ortiz, Yuliana García‐Ojeda, Paulina Y. Nuñez‐Ramírez, Alix Fernanda Rivera‐Sánchez, Elizabeth Sánchez‐Domínguez, Candelaria García‐Duran, José Alberto Lizama‐Hernández, Pedro Shautamai Pareja‐Badillo, Mónica Rosario González‐Acosta, Edgar J. Montejo‐Zetina, María del Socorro Aguilar‐Cucurachi
article en
5 citations

Abstract

In May and June 2024, a die-off of Mexican mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata mexicana) occurred in southern Mexico. This commentary documents the event, attributing it to extreme heatwaves, drought, wildfires, and habitat impoverishment. Despite their reported resilience to habitat disturbances, mantled howler monkey mortality rate in some areas reached 31%. Key evidence points to heatstroke as the primary cause of death, exacerbated by limited hydration and reduced dietary diversity in disturbed habitats. Immediate responses included community-led rescues (e.g., hydrating the monkeys), coordination of rescue activities by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) (e.g., managing donations), involvement of scientists (e.g., monitoring of primate populations), and assistance from government officials (e.g., providing legal support for animal management). This event underscores the urgency of developing action plans to prevent and attend future crises. Among other actions, we highlight (i) establishing primate care infrastructure with medical and rehabilitation centers; (ii) developing protocols and training programs to ensure rapid crisis response; (iii) fostering collaboration among government, NGOs, and academic institutions for effective crisis management; and (iv) developing targeted research on climate change impacts, predictive models, and long-term health monitoring. We emphasize the critical need for coordinated conservation efforts to protect wild primates and maintain natural ecosystem resilience in the face of escalating climate challenges.

American Journal of PrimatologyVol. 86(12)
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (US), Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla (MX), Universidad Veracruzana (MX), El Colegio de Veracruz (MX), University of Michigan (US), Universidad de Xalapa (MX), Instituto de Ecología (MX), Liverpool John Moores University (GB), The University of Texas at Austin (US), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX), University of California, Berkeley (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
5.15
DOISourceOpenAlex
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