Her kan du finde rapporter fra løveabeprojektet. Rapporterne er skrevet af de lokale rangers ansat af Zoo, som arbejder i reservatet Poço das Antas i Brasilien. Rapporterne fortæller om flokken af gyldne løveaber som er opdrættet i zoo og genudsat i reservatet i 2000
2006
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
February, 28 2006
Poço Pequeno 3 report
Dear friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hello friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
As I told you in the last report, we were trying to capture Poço Pequeno 3.
On February, 01 we opened the traps with banana inside, we stated close to the traps waiting the golden lion tamarins. For our lucky, we didn’t have to wait so long, they appeared early in the morning. Unfortunately only two tamarins were captured: T4* and T2, T14 and T4 didn’t enter in the traps. They are adults and smarter, they probably know that it was a trap…
We took T4* and T2 to the laboratory and Dr. James Dietz from Maryland University – USA analyzed their health conditions. He also did paint marks (group and individual identification) and put radiocollar in T2.
T4* and T2 are twins but only T2 had enough weight to use a radiocollar, so Poço Pequeno 3 has only one radio now, usually we put 2 radiocollar in each group. These two tamarins were released in the day after the capture, in the same area.
The Poço Pequeno 3 composition is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T0 GLT 849 Male Adult 4250
T0 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T0 GLT 1237 Male Young
T0 GLT 1238 Female Young
We still don’t know if the female T14 is pregnant, we hope so. Do you remember she was pregnant last year but she lost the babies in October or November? We will confirm next month for you.
Poço Pequeno 3 had many encounters with the neighbors groups: Primeira Agua, Alone, Banana Ouro 2 and Forno Velho.
Dr. James Dietz stayed at Poço das Antas Biological Reserve until February, 08. He was very happy because our captures were success, we capture 15 groups and 2 tamarins alone.
We hope to have more news for you in March.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Synval, Jadir and Ademilson
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
May 31, 2006
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of the Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends. How is everyone? Is everything well? Here everything is fine with us and with the group PP3. Everything was normal during this month. We worked with PP3 on the 1st, 3rd, 10th, 12th, 19th, 26th, and 30th of this month. We performed our daily focal samples and collected feces for the group. MaLinda also continues to work with PP3. On the 22nd of May, we received a visit from Bengt Holst. MaLinda and Sinara accompanied him in the forest to visit both BO2 and PP3. On this day, he visited PP3 during the morning, and Jadir saw them chasing after another golden lion tamarin that does not have a defined area. It was a lone female around the same age as GLT 797. PP3 is now encountering more with other groups and increasing their area, perhaps because of the 2 new unmarked (T0) adults. They are tamarins that fight more and do not back down in encounters. The composition of PP3 remains:
GLT Age Category Sex Body Mark Tail Mark
1237 Adult M Left leg T2
1238 Sub-adult F Left leg T4
Adult M T0
Adult F T0
We still do not know who the 2 adult T0 tamarins are. We will only know when they are captured. PP3 continues to have encounters with AL, FV, PA, BO2, and tamarins that do not have defined areas. We had an excursions on the 22nd, 26th, and the 29th of this month, but we took the visitors to see BO2, a group much closer to the road that enters the reserve.
Sinara continues her research on predation including two sleeping sights consistently used by PP3 where she has installed cameras. Until now she has discovered nothing new. It appears that the predators have perceived that she would like to photograph them, as we have not had a single registered predation event in the last two years.
When Bengt was here and visited the groups, I hope that MaLinda was able to give him any information he might have wanted. Well, for this month a lot of commentary is not necessary, except that I would like to thank Bengt on behalf of the entire Ecology Team (Synval, Jadir, Ademilson, and myself) for his visit here.
Best wishes until next month,
Otávio José Narciso
2005
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
January 31, 2005
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Happy New Year!
The Ecology Team and Poço Pequeno 3 are fine. We had some days for holydays but we are back to monitore the golden lion tamarins.
We worked with Poço Pequeno 3 in the days: 06, 08, 09, 11, 18, 21, 24 and 25. We observed them during all the day.
The researcher Andrew Backer arrived at Poço das Antas Biological Reserve on January, 18. He came to capture the golden lion tamarin groups: put radio, analyze the physical conditions and make the paint mark.
On January, 22 we capture three tamarins of Poço Pequeno 3: GLT 1218 and the two babies. They were taken to the laboratory. GLT 1218 had enough weight and size to carry a radio so he received a radio.
The babies received paint marks and tattoos.
The composition of the group is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4480
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Sub adult 4423
T12 GLT 1218 Male Young 4929
T2 GLT 1238 M Baby -
T4 GLT 1238 F Baby -
We didn’t capture all the groups. Andreia, the field coordinator of Reintroduction Program will help us to capture them.
On January, 25 we received 40 people from World Bank to visit our project and see the golden lion tamarin in the forest. We usually take the visitor to see Banana Ouro 2 because they are used to people. But we didn’t get to localize them, so we take the visitors to see Poço Pequeno 3. In the beginning the tamarins were a little scared because they are not used too many people. All the visitors had a chance to see the golden lion tamarins.
Hope you enjoy our news!
See you next in February.
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
March 31, 2005
Poço Pequeno 3 report
Dear friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hello friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
Poço Pequeno 3 and the Ecology team are fine. The weather is still rainy and the swamps are full of water.
We captured the golden lion tamarins on March, 15, not all of them, only GLT 592, GLT 1237 and GLT 1238. We took the tamarins to the laboratory to analyze them. Andreia, the Reintroduction field coordinator, Otavio and Jadir made the paint marks in the body and the tail. We also put the radio collar in the GLT 592.
We released them in the next day in the same place we captured them. They were fine. Poço Pequeno 3 is a beautiful group.
The composition now is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4564
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T2 GLT 1237 Male Young
T4 GLT 1238 Male Young
T0 - Female Young
We monitored Poço Pequeno 3 in the days: 18, 22, 28 and 30.
Poço Pequeno 3 is meeting many times with the others tamarins groups: Alone, Primeira Agua, Banana Ouro 2. Poço Pequeno 3 is losing part of its territory to these groups because Poço Pequeno 3 usually came back when meet other group.
We didn’t receive any visitors in March.
See you next month
Ecology Team
Otavio, Synval, Jadir and Ademilson
Poco das Antas Biological Reserve
May 31, 2005
Dear friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
With the changes that occurred last month, Poco Pequeno 3 seen more insecure and during the meetings with the tamarins groups: Primeira Agua and Banana Ouro 2, Poco Pequeno 3 usually retreats and consequently they are losing and losing part of its territory to these groups.
There is no radio collar in Poco Pequeno 2 group, so we can't localize them at the forest. It's not easy to find them.
We started to put bananas at the platforms to capture Poco Pequeno 3 and other groups next month with the American researcher James Dietz from Maryland University.
The composition of Poco Pequeno 3 is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age
T14 GLT 849 Male Adult
T4 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T2 GLT 1237 Male Young
T4* GLT 1238 Male Young
The weather here is getting cold. The tamarins left the tree later and came back earlier.
Hope to have more news next report. See you in June
Ecology Team
Otavio, Synval, Jadir and Ademilson
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
June, 30 2005
Poço Pequeno 3 report
Dear friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
Hi Bengt! How are you?
I was very happy with your visit on June, 16. It was a pleasure to receive you here at Poço das Antas Biological Reserve and take you to the forest. Unfortunately you couldn’t see the group Copenhagen Zoo has been adopted – Poço Pequeno 3, because they don’t have radio collar. But you had a chance to see the plataform which we are trying to capture them and the area of the group now and the area they lose to other groups.
As I told you during your visit, we had difficulties to capture Poço Pequeno 3 because the other group Primeira Agua and capuchin monkeys were visiting the plataform too and eating the bananas. For our surprise we capture Poço Pequeno 3 on June, 22. But I had to monitore the traps and the bananas from the capuchin monkeys since 5:30 am.
All the four tamarins of Poço Pequeno 3 were captured. We took the tamarins at the laboratory. The American researcher James Dietz from Maryland University and the Brazilian researcher Rafael Monteiro from Fiocruz made the health analysis. The tamarins received paint marks and T14 and T4 received a radio collar.
They were released on the following day at the same place they were captured. Now all the golden lion tamarins from Poço Pequeno 3 can be identificated.
But…. on June, 29, Ademilson was monitoring Poço Pequeno 3 when changes happened again:
• The male GLT 849 left Poço Pequeno 3 and joined Alone group;
• The male GLT 592 that was in Primeira Agua, returned to Poço Pequeno 3.
The composition of Poço Pequeno 3 until now is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Male Adult 4564
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult 4323
T2 GLT 1237 Male Young
T4* GLT 1238 Female Young
We are going to monitore the group to check if any change occurs again.
The other captures were a success!! We got capture all the groups: Alone, Banana Ouro 2, Primeira Água, Bambuzal, 2 Morro 3, Caju, Portuense. We put new radios, made paint marks to facilitate individual identification.
The weather here is getting cold. The tamarins left the tree latter and came back earlier.
Once again, I would like to thank for your attention and support Copenhagen Zoo has been given to our project. It’s a pleasure to use the T-shirts and the caps from Copenhagen Zoo.
I guess I will have more new to tell you in July.
See you.
Ecology Team
Otavio, Synval, Jadir and Ademilson
Banana Ouro 2 report
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
October, 31 2005
Poço Pequeno 3 report
Dear friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hello friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
Poço Pequeno 3 and the Ecology Team are fine.
The female GLT 750 is still pregnant, she didn’t have babies yet. Soon we will have new golden lion tamarins.
So the composition of Poço Pequeno 3 is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T4 GLT 849 Male Adult 4250
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult 4323
T2 GLT 1237 Male Young
T4* GLT 1238 Female Young
We monitored them in the followings days: 05, 07, 12, 19, 24 and 28. We entered in the forest before they leave the tree, observed them during all day until they return to the tree again.
The American researcher Jennifer Siani from Maryland University is observing Poço Pequeno 3 too. She is weighting the female pregnant once a week. Malinda Henry also from Maryland, continues collecting feces at least once a week for her study of hormone.
So… the group is visited almost every day by us or the researchers now.
Poço Pequeno 3 have meetings with the groups Banana Ouro 2, Primeira Agua, Alone and one new group – Forno Velho.
During these meetings Poço Pequeno 3 didn’t retreat anymore. They started to re conquisting part of their territory lost.
In Brazil we changed our time because the beginning of summer. The days are getting longer, the tamarins leave the tree at 6:10 am and return at 6:40 pm. Sometimes they can be active during 13 hours!!! The weather is very hot and humid too, with a lot of mosquitos.
Hope to have news about the babies next month.
See you
Ecology Team
Otavio, Synval, Jadir and Ademilson
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
November, 30 2005
Poço Pequeno 3 report
Dear friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hello friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
Poço Pequeno 3 and the Ecology Team are fine.
Do you remember the female GLT 750 was pregnant? Unfortunately we believe she lost the babies.
The American researcher Jennifer Siani was weighting the female once a week, she was fat but suddenly she lost weight.
So the composition of Poço Pequeno 3 is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T4 GLT 849 Male Adult 4050
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult 4323
T2 GLT 1237 Male Young
T4* GLT 1238 Female Yoyng
Poço Pequeno 3 have meetings with the groups Banana Ouro 2, Primeira Agua, Alone and Forno Velho.
An unusual event happened…..it rained a lot in the beginning of November and on 08 one bridge in the railway BR 101 (railway from South to Northeast of Brazil) felt!! This bridge is located between Silva Jardim, where Ecology team lives and the Poço das Antas Reserve. So… we couldn’t study the tamarins.
No one had idea how long the government would fix the bridge. But we had an idea… we went to the Reserve using motorcycle through another road. We had to check if the groups were all right.
Only in 16, the Brazilian Army finished an alternative bridge. Now we can get to the Reserve normally.
Hope not have this kind of news to you next month, it was a trouble to everyone here.
See you in December.
Ecology Team
Otavio, Synval, Jadir and Ademilson
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
December, 31 2005
Poço Pequeno 3 report
Dear friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hello friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
Poço Pequeno 3 and the Ecology Team are fine.
December was a rainy month, the swamps are full of water and consequently the forest and we were wet. But.... it’s wonderful for the golden lion tamarins because with the rain there are so many fruits they can eat, as guanandi, canela cedro, pixiricão, it’s the season of fruits!
The composition of Poço Pequeno 3 is the same as you can see below:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T0 GLT 849 Male Adult 4250
T0 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T0 GLT 1237 Male Young
T0 GLT 1238 Female Young
You can note that all four tamarins are now T0. Do you know why? Every year the golden lion tamarins change the hair, as many animals. So... they lost the paint marks in the body (family identification) and in the tail (individual identification). That’s why all of them are T0. We still can identify each one because this group has only four tamarins.
The radio collar of GLT 750 is not working anymore, but the second radio in GLT 849 is still working, for luck!!
Poço Pequeno 3 had meetings with Primeira Agua and Banana Ouro 2 groups.
The American biologists from Maryland University Malinda Henry and Jennifer Siani are still collecting data with Poço Pequeno 3. Jennifer that was weighting the female GLT 750 every week also believes that she lost the babies as I told you last report.
Last week we saw puma tracks inside Poço Pequeno 3 homerange, we have seen tracks and feces of puma lately in different parts of the Poço das Antas Biological Reserve.
Hope you enjoy this news!
We wish you a Happy New Year!!
See you in 2006!!
Ecology Team
Otavio, Synval, Jadir and Ademilson
2004
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
January 31, 2004
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
Happy New Year. The Ecology Team wishes you a wonderful 2004.
Many things happen with Poço Pequeno 3 group this month.
As I told you in the last report, Poço Pequeno 3 didn’t have radio collars. The two tamarins with radio left the group: T4 (GLT 860) and T1 (GLT 897).
On January, 05 we started to put bananas at the platforms to capture the group.
After two days, T1 and T4 came back to Poço Pequeno 3 and they expelled T4*, so we stopped to put bananas.
On January, 13 T4* came back to the group and T4 left. T1 didn’t follow T4 this time.
Poor T4, he is alone again.
Synval was monitoring Poço Pequeno, on January, 26 when he saw T4 in other tamarin group Primeira Água. He seems very fine. Primeira Água has one male adult, one female adult, one female sub adult, one baby and now T4 too.
After these changes the new composition of Poço Pequeno 3 is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult -
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult -
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Sub adult 4102
I guess in November report I told you that T14 was pregnant but lost the babies. Do you remember?
Now I have good news for you... now she is pregnant again and we think the babies will born in February.
The golden lion tamarins ate many types of fruits: arixixá, figo and canela cedro.
It was a rainy month. The swamps are full of water.
Well I finish here and I hope you enjoyed the news.
See you in February.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
March, 31 2004
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo! How are you?
The golden lion tamarins and the Ecology Team are fine.
The weather in Brazil is changing. It was the begining of fall and it was dry and little cold. But of course not as in Denmark!!
We monitored Poço Pequeno 3 in the following days: 01, 08, 15, 19, 25 and 30.
The group is very fine. The only problem is that they are losting the paint marks because they are changing the hair.
The babies are still been carrying by the parents and the other tamarins.
The composition is the same:
Tail Mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult -
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult -
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Sub adult 4102
T0 - - Baby -
T0 - - Baby -
They are leaving the tree hole usually at 6 a. m. and return at 4 p. m. The days are getting shorter now.
On March, 24 we received a special visit: four persons from Denmark. One of them works at Copenhagen Zoo as a keeper. They couldn’t see Poço Pequeno 3 because the home range was very difficult to walk. They visited other group - Banana Ouro 2, their area is close to the road and it’s more easy to find. This group is big with eleven tamarins. The visitors enjoyed a lot this opportunity to see the golden lion tamarins in their habitat – Atlantic Forest.
Well I finish here and I hope you send you more news next month.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
July 31, 2004
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo
Hi friendsof Copenhagen Zoo. How are you?
The Ecology team is fine. Poço Pequeno 3 is very well.
We monitored the group during the days: 06, 12, 16, 19, 22, 26 and 30.
The composition of Poço Pequeno 3 is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4480
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Sub adult 4423
T12 GLT 1218 Male Young -
The American researcher Malinda is working with Poço Pequeno 3 too. She is collecting excrements to analize in her project.
On July, 16 two trainees visited Poço Pequeno 3.
The Brazilian researcher Sinara continues her study to identify the predators of tamarins. She put 15 cameras next to some trees where the tamarins usually sleep. One of them is near the tree where Poço Pequeno 3 sleep. We know that some photos were taken but the photos were not developed yet.
Poço Pequeno 3 is sleeping in a tree located in a swamp area. The camera wasn´t installed because there are a lot of cipo. It is near a farm and very easy to be stolen.
See you in August.
Best wishes for all the people at Copenhagen Zoo.
Ecology team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
August 31, 2004
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
We worked with this group in days 02, 06, 09, 13, 18, 20, 24, 27 and 31. The American researchers Malinda and Jennifer monitored the group other days.
The female GLT 750 is pregnant, soon the group will be with new offspring. There are more pregnant females in other groups. Probably in the next week the babies already will have been born. Poço Pequeno 3 composition continues the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4480
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Sub adult 4423
T12 GLT 1218 Male Young -
The Brazilian researcher Sinara continues her study to identify the predators of tamarins. She put cameras next to some trees where the golden lion tamarins usually sleep.
Unfortunately a predation of one tamarin occurred in other group near a nest tree without camera. The predation happened during the night and the tamarin was total eaten, only a piece of the tail remained.
I hope have news about the babies.
See you next month.
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
September 30, 2004
Poço Pequeno 3 report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
We worked with this group in days: 03, 08, 09, 15, 16, 20, 23, 27 and 30. We observed the tamarins during all the day.
The American researcher Malinda worked some days with this group. She is still collecting excrements for her project. The other American researcher Jennifer visited the group to weigh the pregnant female GLT 750.
Poço Pequeno 3 is well, and the composition is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4480
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Sub adult 4423
T12 GLT 1218 Male Young -
Poço Pequeno 3 had many encounters with Banana Ouro 2, Primeira Agua and 3 Macho 5.
The group 3 Macho 5 has a male and a female. On September, 05 they had an aggressive meeting with Primeria Agua and Banana Ouro 2. Synval worked with the group 3 Macho 5 in the following day and verified that the male was walking slowly. On September, 07 Malinda found the male GLT 582 dead. Now the female is alone and therefore it causes meeting with other groups almost every day.
Primeira Agua is very aggressive and they are using part of Poço Pequeno 3 area. This area is important for both groups because there are many bromeliad where the tamarins can find food.
It´s time for babies! Two offsprings were born in Banana Ouro 2 and one offsprings in Alone. We are waiting Poço Pequeno 3 babies.See you next month.
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
December, 31 2004
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
Poço Pequeno 3 is fine, we worked with the group in seven days: 02, 07, 10, 19, 20, 23 and 28. We observed them during all the day.
The two babies are 11 months, they started to move and looking for food by themselves. Sometimes they follow the adults crying to ask food or to be carried.
Jennifer also worked with Poço Pequeno 3 this month. She is weighted the babies once a week. Malinda is not working anymore, she came back to USA but she will be back next year and we are collecting feces for her research.
The composition of the group is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4480
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Sub adult 4423
T12 GLT 1218 Male Young -
T4* - M Baby -
T1 - F Baby -
Most golden lion tamarins at Poço das Antas Biological Reserve are losing hair, and consequently the paint mark. It’s not easy to identify them in the forest. Fortunately Poço Pequeno 3 still has the marks.
We are waiting the American research Andrew Baker – Philadelphia Zoo to capture the groups next month.
There are more babies in three groups: Banana Ouro 2, Alone and Caixa da Agua.
The Ecology Team wish you wonderful 2005 and hope that Copenhagen Zoo continue this important support to our project with golden lion tamarins in the wild.
See you next year!
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
2003
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
February 28th, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 – 13th Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo! How are you?
The Ecology Team and the Poço Pequeno 3 are fine.
The weather in February was very hot, there was a lot of mosquitos in the forest.
Poço Pequeno 3 was monitored on these days; 04, 11, 14, 17, 20, 25 and 27. As I told you in the last report, the tamarins changed the hair, they lost the paint marks so it’s difficult to identify them. We made a new platform and every day we put bananas at the traps to capture and remark them. Sometimes the capuchin monkeys eat the bananas first and when the tamarins come there is nothing left.
We will capture fifteen tamarin groups. The captures will start on March, 12 together with the American researcher James Dietz from Maryland University. The groups will be taken to the laboratory, they will receive new paint marks (body and tails), we will collect blood and hair, verify their physical conditions and change the radio collars if necessary.
Many tamarin groups don’t have paint marks, we only can identify the tamarins from Poço Pequeno 3 and 2 Macho 5 group.
The composition is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult
T4 GLT 860 Male Young
T0 - - Baby
Poço Pequeno 3 had encounters with another groups Primeira Agua, Alone, Banana Ouro 2, Eucalipto 2 and 3 Macho 5.
Almost every day they slept in a nest tree located on the mountain. This nest tree has been used by Poço Pequeno 3 since 1995.
On February, 07 two babies were born in Banana Ouro 2 group. Two universities visited this group on the dates 10 and 27. The students loved the tamarins, specially the babies.
The others tamarin groups in the Poço das Antas Biological Reserve are fine.
The Ecology Team is using a type of equipment called GPS (Global Position System) in the forest to produce a map together with Geoprocessment Laboratory from the Golden Lion Tamarin Association. The map with contain all the trails we use to monitor the tamarins, some nest trees and platforms too. It has been very interesting. When this map is ready we can send it to you so you can see where we work.
See you next month
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
March 13, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 – 14th Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo! How are you?
The Ecology Team and the Poço Pequeno 3 are fine.
The weather in March was very rainy.
Poço Pequeno 3 was monitored on these days: 05, 11, 17, 18, 25 and 31.
We put bananas at the traps on the platforms to capture the tamarins.
Only four tamarins of Poço Pequeno 3 (T14, T4*, T4 and the baby) were captured on March, 14. The male T34 (GLT-592) have not been captured. It stayed alone in the forest.
The fours tamarins were taken to the laboratory. The American researcher James Dietz from Maryland University and the Brazilian researcher Rafael from Osvaldo Cruz Foundation made the analysis. The female T14 (GLT-750) and the male T4* (GLT-812) received radiocollars. Now there are three radios in Poço Pequeno 3 because T34 has a radio that still works.
The baby is a male. It received the tattoo GLT-897 and the paint mark T1
The composition now is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4788
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult 4762
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult 4469
T4 GLT 860 Male Subadult
T1 GLT 897 Male Baby
The tamarins were released the next day.
Other groups have been captured: Alone, Primeira Agua, Eucalipto 2, Banana Ouro 2, 3 Macho 5, Filho de Carlos, Filho de Carlos 2, Pagão 2, Grupo de frente 2, Caju, 2 Macho 3, Bambuzal e Caixa d’Água 2. They received new radios and new paint marks.
We have a new group: Filho de Carlos 3. There are two tamarins from Filho de Carlos and more three that have never been captured.
The Ecology Team is still using the GPS (Global Position System) in the forest to produce a map together with Geoprocessment Laboratory from the Golden Lion Tamarin Association. The map will contain all the trails we use to monitor the tamarins, some nest trees and platforms too.
We hope you enjoy the news from Brazil.
See you next month
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve,
March 31st, 2003
Environmental Education Program – 4th Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi. How are the things in Denmark? Cold I imagine.
Here in Brazil is autumn and the weather is very pleasant. It usually rains in the end of the day. The summer was too dry, so the rain is welcome.
As you know water is very important to life in the planet. The Golden Lion Tamarin Association organized activities to celebrate the “Water Day” on March, 22.
Fifty students from Casimiro de Abreu and Silva Jardim municipalities planted small trees in the Sebastião Lan Agrarian Reform Settlement – in the area surrounding Poço das Antas Biological Reserve. More than 150 native trees of Atlantic Forest were planted in the riparian forest of São João River.
The educator of Lake Region Intermunicipal Consortium, a forum comprising 12 municipalities, NGOs and private companies from São João river basin and Lake region made the water quality exam with the community. It was very intereting and the results were good.
It’s essencial to promote conservation activities together with students and the community. They can feel more responsible with the environment problems. In this activity we could show the relation between the forest and the water maintenance.
See the photos enclosed.
I hope you enjoy them.
All the Brazilians worry about the war. We wish peace for all.
See you.
Best wishes,
Patricia Mie Matsuo
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
April 30, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 – 15th Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo! How are you?
The Ecology Team and the Poço Pequeno 3 are fine.
We don’t have much news for you.
It’s autumn in Brazil and the weather is getting cold. The day is shorter than in the summer. The tamarins leave the nest tree at 6:30 a.m. and come back at 4:30 p.m.
Poço Pequeno 3 had encounters with only three groups: Alone, Primeira Agua and Banana Ouro 2.
The group was monitored on the following days: 01, 03, 09, 11, 17, 24 and 29.
The group composition is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4788
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult 4762
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult 4469
T4 GLT 860 Male Subadult -
F GLT 897 Male Young -
One tamarin of 2 Macho 3 group was predated, we know beause the tamarin had a radiocollar. Other three tamarins of this group disapeared, probably they were predated too, but we still don’t know. The group has now only three tamarins adults, a female and two males.
The other groups are fine.
We didn’t receive any University or ecotourist this month.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
June 30, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
How are you?
We are fine.
Poço Pequeno 3 is fine. We monitored them on the days: 03, 04, 13, 17, 19, 23, 27 and 30. All these days we went to the forest before the tamarins leave the nest tree. We observed them all the time until they return in the end of the day to the nest tree.
Three females left the Alone group. They were walking near Poço Pequeno 3 homerange. Their localization attracted others groups too.
Poço Pequeno 3 had many encounters. Someday they encountered with more three groups Eucalipto 2, Primeira Água and 3 Macho 5.
On June, 17 the tamarin T4 (GLT-860) the subadult male left Poço Pequeno 3 and followed the 3 females of Alone group. But on the same day, T4 come back to Poço Pequeno 3.
It’s winter now in Brazil. The day is shorter than in the summer. The weather is cold, not as Denmark winter, of course!
The golden lion tamarins usually leave the nest tree at 6:30 a.m. and return at 3:40 p.m.
The Poço Pequeno 3 composition is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4788
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult 4762
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult 4469
T4 GLT 860 Male Subadult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Young -
Every day Banana Ouro 2 group sleep in the same place: a bamboo patch. Poço Pequeno 2 sleep in different places, many nest tree and bromeliade. Some nest tree are very old, one has been used since 1988.
Changes happended in others groups too:
- 2 males left Banana Ouro 2 group, they walked in one week more than 10 kilometers.
- 1 male left Filho de Carlos 2 last month, it is still alone.
- 2 males left Caju group.
- 2 males of Bambuzal group were predated, but there are already 2 new males in the group now.
In June the Vice Director of Copenhagen Zoo, Bengt Holst visited our work here at Poço das Antas Biological Reserve, he saw some tamarins groups. All the Ecology Team received gifts from Copenhagen Zoo: T-shirts and caps. All the gyus enjoy it a lot.
Thank you so much.
See you in July.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
July 31, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo! How are you?
The Ecology Team and the golden lion tamarins are fine.
The weather in Brazil is cold, the days are shorter. The tamarins left the nest tree at 6:40 am and came back at 4:00 pm.
We monitored Poço Pequeno 3 in the days: 01, 04, 08, 15, 16, 21, 25, 28 and 31.
Golden lion tamarins eat fruits of many trees: palmeira, figueira, pixiricão do morro and fruta cola. They eat insects too.
Poço Pequeno 3 had encounters with the groups Banana Ouro 2, Alone, 3 Macho 5, Primeira Agua and some tamarins without homerange.
The group composition is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4788
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult 4762
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult 4469
T4 GLT 860 Male Adult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Young -
A lot of changes happened in Primeira Agua group. The female GLT 789 from Alone joined the Primeira Agua and expelled a female GLT 782 from the group. A male GLT 882 from Filho de Carlos 2 group joined Primeira Agua too. In the following week two females from Eucalipto 2 group expelled the female GLT 789 from Primeira Agua.
The females GLT 782 from Primeira Agua and GLT 789 from Alone don’t have homerange and they are alone in the forest.
Many tamarins left their groups too:
- One tamarin from Caixa da Agua 2;
- Two tamarins from Caju;
- One tamarin from Filho de Carlos.
This is July news.
See you next week.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
July 31, 2003
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
In July the Education Program received a special visitor at Poço das Antas Biological Reserve.
A boy from Copenhagen came to see the golden lion tamarin project. His name is Noah.
Noah told us he has visited Copenhagen Zoo several times. He knows a lot of information about the golden lion tamarin biology.
It was a good surprise.
He came with his grandmother, that lives in Brazil. So he speaks Portuguese too.
They visited the Exhibition room, walked in the trail and watched a project documentary.
Fortunately they could see a golden lion tamarin group in the wild. The group appeared near the Education Center.
We took some photos together. Here is one of them.
I hope you enjoy.
When you have a oportunity to visit Brazil, come here at Poço das Antas Biological Reserve. You will be welcome.
Best wishes,
Patricia Mie Matsuo
Environmental Education Program
Golden Lion Tamarin Association
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
August 31, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
The Poço Pequeno 3 group is fine.
We monitored Poço Pequeno 3 in the days: 06, 13, 18, 25, and 29.
The group composition is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4788
T34 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult 4762
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult 4469
T4 GLT 860 Male Subadult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Young -
The female GLT 782 from Primeira Agua group is still walking alone near the Poço Pequeno 3 homerange.
On August, 18 I was monitoring Poço Pequeno 3 and they had an encounter with this female GLT 782 and with Primeira Agua group too. The tamarin T4 GLT 860 from Poço Pequeno 3 followed the female for 30 minutes. After that T4 came back to the group.
The female GLT 782 is trying to join the Poço Pequeno 3 group. We think it will be difficult because all the times GLT 782 tried, one tamarin followed it.
Many encounters between tamarins groups and alone tamarins happened this month and consequently changes in the groups composition.
All the days we monitored Poço Pequeno 3 they vocalized a lot to expell some tamarin without territory trying to join the group. They are always walking and so do we.
September is time for new babies. We hope to have many births next month.
See you in September.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
September 30, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
The Poço Pequeno 3 group is fine.
The radios of Poço Pequeno 3 are not working anymore, we monitored the group only one day: September, 01.
It’s difficult to find the Poço Pequeno 3 because they sleep in different nest trees.
The last day we saw the group was on September, 10. We were monitoring the group Alone when they meet Poço Pequeno 3. So we could verify the composition:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult 4788
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult 4762
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult 4469
T4 GLT 860 Male Subadult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Young -
The female GLT 750 was pregnant and in some months there will be new babies in Poço Pequeno 3. The pregnancy in golden lion tamarins usually takes 4 months.
The other groups still don’t have babies. Probably in some weeks we are going to see the new golden lion tamarins at Poço das Antas Biological Reserve.
This is time to change the battery of the radiocollars of the golden lion tamarins groups, some radios are not working anymore.
In October we are going to put bananas at the platforms to capture the tamarins. The American researchers Andrew Backer from Philadelphia Zoo will come in November to study them.
See you next month.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
October 31, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
The Poço Pequeno 3 group is fine.
As I mentioned in the last report, many batteries of the radiocollars are not working anymore. We need to change the radios of 15 tamarins groups.
We already started to put bananas at the platforms to capture the groups and change the radios.
We captured Poço Pequeno 3 group on October, 20. The tamarins: GLT 897, 860, 812 and 750 entered in the traps. But the male GLT 592 didn’t. He is very smart and can take the bananas inside the traps and leave them.
Do you remember that the female GLT 750 is pregnant? We were worried about her.
Inside the traps, she could fall. So we decided to release her.
The tooke only the tamarins GLT 897, 860 and 812 to the laboratory to analyse their health conditions.
We changed the GLT 812 radiocollar.
The three golden lion tamarins were released the following day at the same place we captured them. They meet the male (GLT 592) and female (GLT 750) at the forest. They are fine.
Then we monitored the group in the days: 22, 28 and 31.
The group composition is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult 4777
T4 GLT 860 Male Subadult -
T1 GLT 897 Male Young -
The female GLT750 is still pregnant, she didn’t have the babies.
New babies were born in the groups: Banana Ouro 2, Alone and Filho de Carlos 2.
The female GLT 782 that left Primeira Agua group is now in the 3 Macho 5 group. This group used to have 2 females and 2 males but one female and male disappeared and the GLT 782 had a chance to join the Primeira Agua.
In Brazil we are in summer time, and the days are longer, the golden lion tamarins leave the nest tree at 6 am and return at 6pm. The weather is very hot and the tamarins spend a lot of time resting at the trees.
See you in November.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval.
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
November 30, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
The Poço Pequeno 3 group is fine.
The weather here in Rio de Janeiro is very hot. It’s still spring but seems like summer. The days are longer, the golden lion tamarins leave the nest tree at 6 am and return at 6pm. The weather is very hot and the tamarins spend a lot of time resting at the trees.
We monitored the group in the days: 03, 05, 11, 13, 18, 20, 24 and 27.
The group composition is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult 4777
T4 GLT 860 Male Subadult
T1 GLT 897 Male Young
Last report I mentioned about the female GLT 750 was pregnant, do you remember? We guess she is not pregnant anymore, maybe she lost the babies. We are so sorry.
We are waiting for the American researcher Andrew Baker from Philadelphia Zoo to capture other golden lion tamarin groups. He will arrive on December 10.
See you in next month.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
December 31, 2003
Poço Pequeno 3 Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo!
The Poço Pequeno 3 group is fine.
On December, 10 I walked in the Poço Pequeno 3 homerange and didn’t get any signal from the radiocolar. Later, Synval and Edmilson saw them near the Alone group. Poço Pequeno 3 was fine, but no signal. So we discovered the radio was broken.
The American researcher Andrew Backer from Philadelphia Zoo arrived on December, 12 to help us to capture the tamarins.
On, December, 16 we opened the traps but only the tamarin GLT 860 was captured. We took the tamarin to the laboratory and he received radiocolar. Later we saw the tamarins GLT 750, GLT 592 and GLT 812, but they didn’t enter in the traps, they are adult and very smart.
The day after the GLT 860 was released in the same area where the tamarin was captured. We opened the traps again to try to capture other tamarins of the group, but only the GLT 897 was captured and received a radiocolar too. He was released in the same day.
After all of this, the GLT 860 leaved the group and GLT 897 is together with him. It’s very usual the young brother follow the older. They are near the Banana Ouro 2 homerange and have encounters many times.
Now the group doesn’t have a radio again. We will continue to try to capture them.
So the new composition of Banana Ouro 2 is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age Radio
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T4* GLT 812 Male Adult
There are two new tamarin groups: Torneira with three tamarins and Ari 3 with three tamarins too.
The Ecology team is fine.
We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful year.
See you next year.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
2002
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
October 31, 2002
Poço Pequeno 3 – 9th Report October 31, 2002
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo! How are you?
The Ecology Team and the Poço Pequeno 3 group are fine.
October was very hot and dry, there was no rain. There are not much fruits in the forest. The tamarins spent many time resting in the trees.
We captured these tamarins groups: Poço Pequeno 3, Alone, Eucalipto 2, Primeira Agua, Banana Ouro 2, 3 Macho 5, Filho de Carlos, Grupo da Frente 2, Caju, 2 Morro 3, Caixa d’ Agua 2 and two new groups Primavera (means spring) and Filho de Carlos 2. The groups were taken to the laboratory, they received new paint marks (body and tails), new radiocollars, we collected blood and hair, verified their physical conditions.
On October, 08 two new babies were born in the Poço Pequeno 3 group. The mother is T14 (GLT 750) and the father is T34 (GLT 592). The babies are very well. Now the new composition is:
Tail mark Tattoos
T34 GLT 592
T14 GLT 750
T4* GLT 812
T4 GLT 860
F -
F -
The group was monitored in the days: 01, 08, 11, 15, 22 and 29. Poço Pequeno 3 had encounters with others tamarins groups: Alone, Primeira Agua, Banana Ouro 2 and 3 Macho 5
The days are getting longer, the tamarins are leaving the nest tree at 5:10 am and sleeping at 5:40 pm.
There are new babies in others groups too: Alone, Banana Ouro 2, Eucatipto 2 and Caju. There are females pregnants in the others groups. So more babies will born at the Reserve.
In Alone group two females, mother and daughter had babies but unfortunally the two babies of the daughter and one of the mother died. Now the group has one baby tamarin.
This is the news!
Have a nice month and see you in November.
Best regards,
Otavio, Jadir, Synval and Edmilson
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
November 30, 2002
Poço Pequeno 3 – 10th Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo! How are you?
The Ecology Team are fine.
The Poço Pequeno 3 group was monitored in the following days: 04, 08, 12, 18, 21 and 28.
On November, 04 we saw only one baby in Poço Pequeno 3 and in the same week another neighbour group - Banana Ouro 2 was observed with three babies. We think the third baby is from Poço Pequeno 3. Because it’s the only neighbour group with babies.
The babies of Banana Ouro 2 and Poço Pequeno 3 are the same size and don’t have paint mark so it’s difficult to identify who is the new baby.
On November, 20, two babies of Banana Ouro 2 disappeared, we saw only one in the group. We don’t know if this baby is from Banana Ouro 2 or Poço Pequeno 3 group.
Maybe they were predated.
A group take care of a baby from another group is very difficult to happen. Since 1983 it’s the third time it happened.
The new composition is:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T4* GLT 812 Male Subadult
T4 GLT 860 Male Young
F - - Baby
The tamarins are changing the hair and losting the paint marks. They stay more beautiful but it’s difficult to work with them.
The days are getting longer here in Brazil. The tamarins leave the nest tree at 5:50 am and came back at 6:30 pm.
This is the news this month. See you in December.
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
Poço das Antas Biological Reserve
December 31, 2002
Poço Pequeno 3 – 11st Report
Dear Friends of Copenhagen Zoo,
Hi friends of Copenhagen Zoo! How are you?
The Ecology Team and the Poço Pequeno 3 are fine.
The group was monitored in the following days: 03, 10, 17, 20, 24 and 31.
We monitored what tamarin carried the baby until December, 10.
Now the baby is not been carrying anymore, it is already moving by itself.
The group composition is the same:
Tail mark Tattoos Sex Age
T34 GLT 592 Alfa male Adult
T14 GLT 750 Alfa female Adult
T4* GLT 812 Male Subadult
T4 GLT 860 Male Young
F - - Baby
The american researcher James Dietz from Maryland University will came in January to capture and remark all the groups at the Poço das Antas Biological Reserve.
The weather in Brazil this month was rained a lot, the swamp are empty of water.
There are many fruits in the forest so the tamarins spend many time eating fruits.
The others tamarins groups in the Poço das Antas Biological Reserve are fine. Two babies were born in the Bambuzal group on December, 12.
The Ecology Team are fine too.
We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
See you in 2003!
Best wishes,
Ecology Team
Otavio, Jadir, Edmilson, Synval
2001
Rapporter fra felten 2001
Poço das Antas, 31 December 2001
A new group of tamarins was formed at the end of the year and is using the area once occupied by the now extinct SA group. The group began as two males and one female. All were difficult to observe and only the female had been captured previously.
We captured the group and named it Primeira Agua (PA) in honor of the previous group in the area, Segunda Agua (SA). The new group encounters with PP3, 3M5, PI and BO2. In December, during one of these encounters, one of the tamarins from BO2, T23 (GLT 815) left its group and joined the PA group.
The PA female gave birth to two infants, both are doing fine. We are following the group to habituate it to humans and will soon begin to collect focal data.
This year we have documented the births of 26 infants. To date only one has died. All of the females who gave birth produced twins. We are happy to see this and hope that the tamarins continue to produce lots of babies and that all survive. Isn’t that right? OK!
Research Assistant, Ely Teixeira
01 November 2001
Hi everyone, how are you?
Andy Baker spent a week with us in the Reserve and we were able to capture the new group that neighbors PP3. We discovered that the one habituated monkey in the new group of three tamarins came from the PAG group. It was kicked out of that group over a year ago and just joined up with two tamarins that had never been captured. We have named the new group Primeira Agua (PA) because it is using the area formerly occupied by the extinct Segunda Agua (SA) group. PA has encountered strong resistance from the neighbor groups but has managed to hold its territory.
We are now following the PA group at least once a week. The group will soon be habituated to humans and we will be able to collect focal data.
And, we have news about PP3: two beautiful infants were born in October! The kids are healthy and are already able to walk along branches—but always with mother or father nearby. Last week a hawk nearly got one of the kids when it fell off a branch and became entangled in vines on the ground. The hawk failed in the attack because the infant’s father, T23, dashed to the rescue and covered the infant with his body.
Research Assistant, Ely Teixeira
01 August 2001
A new group has recently formed in the area near the PP3 territory. It’s a small group containing only three tamarins, one of which is habituated to human observers. We intend to capture the group to identify and mark all the individuals as it appears that they will become permanent neighbors of the PP3, BO2, 3M5 and PI groups.
On days in which these five groups encounter everything becomes very confusing. There is so much calling and chattering that it seems like there are 100 tamarins in the area. It’s difficult to record the data because several of these tamarins are not yet habituated to humans. At these times the green forest is filled with gold monkeys and reminds me of the green and gold in our beautiful flag.
We feel honored to have the opportunity to see such an enchanting scene--beautiful gold monkeys bravely defending their territories. Few humans have had the privilege that we of the Ecologia Team have had—to spend an entire day with these tamarins, who are more than just animals.
Research Assistant, Ely Teixeira
2000
Poço das Antas, 01 October 2000:
“They are arriving and we welcome them!!!”
September arrived and this month brings the new tamarin babies. The first group to have kids was BO2. On the 13th we found this group with triplets. One of the newborns was smaller and weaker than the other two. It called all the time, as though in pain. The group members seemed restless and we guess that the infants had been born the night before. The weak infant was unable to hold onto the back of its mother (T34). At 09:00 this infant fell off the back of its mother. As it fell its head hit a branch and in a few minutes it was dead. Thus this group ended up with two new infants, which appear to be healthy and are likely to survive.
On the 29th we took a group of people from the Santa Ursula University, Rio de Janeiro, to visit the PP3 group. They were thrilled to see the group with their newborn infants. That’s all for now,
Ely Teixeira
Poço das Antas, 01 September 2000:
“The hunt continues”
Again we came across hunters here in the reserve. This time we saw three persons in the center of the reserve. Hunters in this reserve come from several towns in the region and from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. For example, hunters here include soldiers, businessmen, ranchers, doctors, bankers and laborers. Some hunt to provide food for their families and others to sell the meat to restaurants for profit. We hope that all of this will end soon.
The PP3 group continues to use part of the area formerly used by SA2. We noted that the T14 tamarin in this group has a large belly. She will probably have babies in September. Sam Franklin placed a camera trap at the den used by this group, to try to identify the predator that has been killing tamarins. Unfortunately he only took pictures of small animals and opossums. Sam took down the camera traps and returned to the U.S. That’s all for now,
Ely Teixeira
Poço das Antas, 01 August 2000:
“Just Opossums”
The camera traps captured images of opossums and a few other small animals. The opossum is an animal that will eat meat but it is unlikely that it is responsible for predation on tamarins. The camera traps continue to function and we wait to see the results.
In July we noted lots of human hunters in the reserve. We saw them walking calmly along the road that runs through the reserve. Admilson, one of the Ecology Team, surprised them when they were leaving the reserve. The hunters saw him and hid in the woods. Hunters also invaded the União Reserve, sister of the Poço das Antas Reserve, where we have a growing population of translocated tamarins. The Forest Police captured four hunters there. The hunters had four armadillos and two agoutis. Capture of the hunters appeared on television throughout Brasil. The Forest Police earned a grade of “10 of 10” for this capture. That’s all for now,
Ely Teixeira
Poço das Antas, 01 July 2000:
Tamarin den trees as seen in infra-red
We have all been very worried about the recent and intense predation on tamarins in the reserve. These predation events have taken place at night and we don’t know which predator is responsible. Because of this concern, Sam Franklin, an American graduate student advised by James Dietz, came to the reserve. With our help he installed infra-red “camera traps” at some den sites to try to photograph the mysterious predator or predators that are eating the tamarins. These sophisticated cameras take pictures of all the animals that come near the den site at night. With them we hope to learn the identity of this natural enemy of the tamarins.
This month we had a large fire here in the reserve. It began on 3 July and lasted until the 8th.
James Dietz arrived on the 12th and left on the 24th. During his meetings with us he expressed great concern about the number of tamarins recently killed by predators. On the 22nd the FA2 group was predated. They lost the reproductive female and male, and a juvenile. Only two subadults remain in the group. That’s all for now,
Ely Teixeira
Poço das Antas, 01 June 2000:
Who is going to inherit the SA area?
The neighboring groups, PP3, BO2, FAZ and PI are slowly advancing into the area that had been occupied by SA. We were surprised that there was not more interest in this area. Until recently we only saw encounters of PP3 and BO2 there. We speculate that the area has not been occupied because there are now fewer groups and fewer tamarins in the reserve.
Observation: here in Rio de Janeiro we have not had rain in a long time. As a result there is not much fruit in the forest. We are also worried about the high risk of fire in the reserve.
Observation: On May 11, 2000, Dr. Bengt Holst, together with a film crew, accompanied me to see the GF2 group. They spent the day filming and photographing this group. On the next day they visited a Reintroduction group. On the 13th they participated in a meeting of the entire Associação Mico Leão Dourado in the Education Center. That’s all for now,
Ely Teixeira
Poço das Antas, 01 April 2000:
They struggled and survived…
As you know from the humble information that I have shared with you, SA2 once contained 13 individuals in the family. I also told you how they were trapped in a den tree, and more recently, how 6 of the 7 members of the group were killed by a predator, leaving only one with the legitimate blood of the SA group. That monkey paired with a female from the neighboring BA2 group.
Two beautiful infants were born to this couple. And to make the group stronger, an unknown tamarin joined the group, which made a total of 5, counting the infants. We named this new group SA2, and last month it disappeared entirely. For many days we have been using bananas to try to locate the group, but the bait remained untouched. Recently we decided to put the bait platform in a new place but no tamarins visited it either. We continue to work with the neighboring groups, FA2, BO3, and PP3, but they are not encountering with any group in the SA area. That’s all for now,
Ely Teixeira
Poço das Antas, 01 March 2000:
Didn’t you hear SA vocalizing?
This has been a common question among us in the “Ecologia” team. We ask everyone who works in the SA2 territory. But the response has always been the same, no one has heard any tamarin vocalizations in this area.
The SA Group was seen on television many times. We took film crews from TV Globo, TV Bandeirantes, TV Record and others, including several from other countries to see this group of tamarins. It’s fair to say that Brasil and the rest of the world came to know and love golden lion tamarins because of the SA group. Thousands of pictures were taken and hundreds of articles written about this group of tamarins that is now missing from the reserve, but that still lives in our hearts.
Ely Teixeira
Poço das Antas, 01 February 2000:
Where is Segunda Agua?
This has been the question on our minds for the last several days. On 14 January I went into the woods to work with Segunda Agua Dois (SA2) and soon found the signal of the radio transmitter coming from high in a den tree where the group always sleeps. I couldn’t retreive the radio because the tree was very tall. I walked in the woods until I found the group, which had all its members present, including female T24, GLT 721, the monkey which had worn the radio. I guess that the collar broke and the transmitter fell into the tamarin’s den. After I found the group I stayed with them all day, collecting data on infant carrying. All seemed normal with the group and I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, this was to be the last day that we saw and worked with this group. We never saw or heard SA2 again….
Ely Teixeira