Threat Analysis of Forest Fragmentation and Degradation for Peruvian Primates

Abstract

Peru has 55 primate taxa (including all species and subspecies), a third of which are threatened. The major drivers of habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation are grazing, forestry, agriculture and transport infrastructure. Other activities such as hunting exacerbate these threats. We assessed the threats from degradation and fragmentation facing Peruvian primates to aid in the design and implementation of mitigation strategies. Through GIS-based mapping, statistical modeling and specialist assessments, we evaluated all primate taxa using the IUCN Conservation Measures Partnership Unified Classifications of Direct Threats across five categories (direct threats to primates, threats to habitat, causes of fragmentation, factors exacerbating fragmentation and threats to primates and habitats as a consequence of fragmentation), highlighting which were most common and most severe. Our results showed that all primate taxa were affected by degradation and fragmentation in Peru. The most common and severe direct threat was hunting, whereas housing and urban development, smallholder crop farming, smallholder grazing and large-scale logging were the most common and severe threats across the other categories. The families Cebidae and Atelidae face the highest overall threat. Our analysis showed that the current IUCN listing of Leontocebus leucogenys [LC] underestimates the true threat level this species faces and that Lagothrix lagothricha tschudii [DD] should be listed under one of the threat categories. In Peru, the need for mitigating the threat of habitat fragmentation is clear. To ensure the survival of Peru’s diverse primate taxa, forest connectivity needs to be maintained or recovered through the protection and restoration of key areas considering their biological and social needs.