Primate Anthrozoology in Action: Inclusive, Multisectoral Conservation and Knowledge Co-production in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest
| dc.contributor.author | Daly, Gabriela Bezerra de Melo | |
| dc.contributor.author | Silva, Emanuely | |
| dc.contributor.author | Soares, Pedro Paulino | |
| dc.contributor.author | Queiroz, Zaqueu Sílvio | |
| dc.contributor.author | Bastos, Alexandre F. Lima | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gomes, Maurício Talebi | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-07-04T08:13:26Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-07-04T08:13:26Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The critically endangered southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides) offers a compelling case for decolonial and multisectoral conservation and research. This work presents the institutional experience of the ProMuriqui Institute, a Brazilian NGO co-led by university-affiliated researchers and long-term local partners, combining academic rigor and inclusive conservation, in the largest remaining fragment of the Atlantic Forest. We summarized 25 years of conservation and research strategies, funding records, and stakeholder collaborations. The analysis was organized around six operational pillars: (1) Long-term research; (2) Forest protection; (3) Educational outreach; (4) Capacity-building with local actors; (5) Policy making; and (6) National and international institutional partnerships. Our model integrates different spheres. (1) Decades of longitudinal monitoring and research on wild muriqui populations. Recently, we co-launched the Primate Anthrozoology Research Program (PARP) to foster global dialogue and comparative research on human–primate relations. (2) Habitat expansion via land acquisition supported by diverse funding (i.e., corporate, governmental, and philanthropic). The Institute owns 102 hectares of forested land—known as the Muriqui Ecopark—which functions as a green corridor for multiple species. (3) Educational activities—including guided responsible primate-watching, lectures, appearances on TV shows, and student involvement—promote awareness while generating revenue. (4) Capacity building through cross-institutional training, volunteer programs, and scientific dissemination. Local field assistants are employed long-term to preserve place-based ecological knowledge. (5) ProMuriqui contributes to strategic species action plans (e.g., National Action Plans), and (6) it collaborates with Carlos Botelho State Park to align NGO efforts with public policy, while key researchers hold academic appointments at Brazilian and international universities. Our next step is planning participatory eco-monitoring with neighboring Indigenous communities (Tupi-Guarani Mbyá). Our experience highlights the role of locally embedded NGOs and diverse collaboration models in shaping international research and policy frameworks, especially in biodiversity hotspots where human and nonhuman lives are deeply intertwined. | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Bezerra de Melo Daly, G., Silva, E., Soares, P. P., Queiroz, Z. S., Bastos, A. F. L., & Gomes, M. T. (2025). Primate anthrozoology in action: Inclusive, multisectoral conservation and knowledge co-production in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Paper presented at the International Society for Anthrozoology Conference (ISAZ), Canada. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10388/17048 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.rights | Attribution-NoDerivs 2.5 Canada | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.5/ca/ | |
| dc.subject | Southern muriquis | |
| dc.subject | Decolonial Conservation | |
| dc.subject | Human-Primate Interaction | |
| dc.subject | ProMuriqui Institute | |
| dc.subject | Primate Anthrozoology | |
| dc.subject | Carlos Botelho State Park | |
| dc.title | Primate Anthrozoology in Action: Inclusive, Multisectoral Conservation and Knowledge Co-production in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest | |
| dc.type | Poster Presentation |