News That Stays News

Obligatory monkey, Part II June 13, 2014

This is obviously a sore point for me. Here’s why: Capuchins and Costa Rica’s other three monkey species are charismatic species—ones that people come to Costa Rica to see, and go home with photos, T-shirts, and assorted other souvenirs of. Despite that, I know almost nothing about their biology, behavior, or ecology. This doesn’t reflect a lack of either research or interesting biology, but rather that such information doesn’t get mentioned in response to “I saw a monkey!” By contrast, interesting factoids are often volunteered about the less charismatic plants and animals I and other people encounter.

This reliance on monkey charisma has two effects. First, since it stems largely from novelty, it wears off quickly. The road through Palo Verde where I do most of my work has two old mango orchards and almost no large predators. I see at least one group of monkeys almost every day, and there is very little novelty left for me. Second, visiting monkey fans don’t get the kind of information that might give them a deeper appreciation for them. They want photos and T-shirts, and that is generally all they leave with. Which seems like a waste of an opportunity for both education and conservation.