Inspiring Talk by Dr. Karen B. Strier

Andreina Maldonado

Indiana University

  

Behavior, Demography, and the Adaptive Potential of a Critically Endangered Primate

By Karen B. Strier

Wisconsin- Madison

11/28/2012

Dr. Karen Strier is an extraordinary primatologist and scientist. She is an engaging lecturer and very passionate about saving the endangered wild muriquis also known as wolly spider monkey, Brachyteles hypoxanthus, in southern Brazil. Dr. Strier has been working in Brazil for nearly 20 years in the conservation of muriquis in the Atlantic forest. Thanks to Dr. Strier and her team of researchers, the population of muriquis in the Atlantic forest of Brazil has reached about 1/3 of the total population of this new world monkey! Her efforts are numerous and greatly celebrated by the primatology community around the world.

Dr. Strier begins her lecture by challenging the notion of the “extinction vortex” (IUCN guidelines 2008-2010), where she claims that behavioral variations are not taken into account in this paradigm. She poses the question of: “where is behavior?” in these guidelines, suggesting that this observation can have important consequences and effects on future research and conservation initiatives.

When Dr. Strier mentions behavioral variation, she refers to intraspecific and interspecific variation. In other words, she suggests that studying the different patterns of behavior across and within a species can lead to a better understanding of population dynamics, demography, and hence conservation practices.

To do this, Dr. Strier suggests that long-term studies are necessary in conservation programs. We often think that populations are fixed, and that animals behave similarly across time, but what Dr. Strier claims is that animals are not fixed and behaviors are subject to change. Carrying out long-term studies facilitates the understanding of behaviors, and gives insight to behavioral plasticity, which refers to the adaptability of different behaviors in response to specific conditions.

According to Dr. Strier, muriquis have behavioral patterns similar to other primates. Like chimpanzees, muriqui females leave the natal group, or disperse, at around six years of age. This means that it is very difficult to document females because of their dispersal behavior, often times resulting in difficulties for documenting births, which occur at around nine years of age. This represents another reason as to why it is important to conduct long-term studies in primate behavior. In contrast to chimpanzees, muriquis don’t show a hierarchical social system but are rather egalitarian, where males are frequently hanging out with other males. This reflects the fact that muriquis are sexually monomorphic due to low competition among males, and proves that sexually dimorphism occurs in hierarchical social systems where there is a dominant figure copulating with multiple partners. Dr. Strier mentioned that there is no intersexual competition when females are copulating and also no sign of female choice, so I wonder if all male muriquis have equal chances at copulating with females, and if there is sperm competition in their sexual behavior.

Dr. Strier continues to lecture about female reproductive health, and the expansion of the muriqui population in recent years. She mentions that during 1990-2010 mothers were having more females than males, representing a female-biased sex ratio compared to males. As the population grew, Dr. Strier observed higher mortality rates, especially in juveniles, resulting in a decrease in the population’s grownups. Her prognosis was that if all else stayed equal, females would have to shift into producing more male babies. What Dr. Strier sees now is that females are giving birth more often, the sex ratio is stabilizing, and mortality rates are decreasing according to female assessment of allo-parenting and territoriality. Now the muriquis are colonizing new lands around the conservation area, and Dr. Strier is working hand-in-hand with community leaders to educate the public and create projects to help the muriquis adapt to their new environment. 

Dr. Karen B. Strier is a professor at UW-Madison since 1989, has studied muriqui populations in Brazil since 1982, and has written books in primate behavior, ecology, and muriqui conservation, and many articles in primate behavioral studies. Her book Primate Behavioral Ecology, 4^th Edition 2011 is used in Dr. Hunt’s class on primate social behavior at IU. YOU WILL LOVE BOTH THE CLASS, AND HER BOOK!

Shortly after Dr. Strier’s lecture I sent her an email,

Dear Dr. Strier,

I want to begin by saying how excited I was to finally put a face and a voice to all the articles and book passages I read of you. I am grateful for Dr. Kevin Hunt and Dr. Michael Muehlenbein who brought you here, thank you!
I had to leave for class before asking you a question concerning conservation and art.
I am a student of anthropology and a performing artist. I wonder what your thoughts are on the importance of incorporating performing art initiatives into conservation efforts. Do you think that art, specifically traditional Brazilian music, dance and theater, can affect the local perception of muriquis while increasing the awareness of the people to protect them as national heritage?
I hope to merge performing arts and conservation education, not only in the countries where primates live, but also here in North America. I will be working as a school teacher in California in the fall of 2013, and want to create a syllabus that stays true to these beliefs.

Thank you for the inspiration!

            This is her response:

Dear Andreina,

Many thanks for your message.  It was great to visit and I'm sorry there wasn't more time to interact with people such as you.

It sounds like you have lots of great ideas for helping to stimulate interest and awareness about primate conservation. I am not personally involved in the kinds of performance arts you mention, but I definitely think that anything the reaches people and makes them care is important and worthwhile to pursue.

I wish you great success in your teaching career, and in merging your interests and contributions!

best wishes,

Karen

DR. KAREN B. STRIER ROCKS!