The Muriqui Project of Caratinga, September 2023
I thank CNPq for permission to conduct research in Brazil, and Drs. Célio Valle, César Ades, and Gustavo Fonseca for serving as my Brazilian sponsors at different times during the early years of the project. I am grateful to Dr. Sérgio L. Mendes for his ongoing support and collaboration in this role since the millennium, and to Dr. Fabiano R. de Melo for helping to share the responsibilities of this role. I also thank the Abdalla family for permission to conduct this research at the RPPN Feliciano Miguel Abdala (previously known as the Estação Biológica de Caratinga), Minas Gerais, Brasil, and especially Ramiro Abdala Passos and the Sociedade para a Preservação de Muriqui (Preserve Muriqui), Conservation International (CI) and CI-Brasil for logistical support, and Dr. Sérgio L. Mendes, Dr. Carla B. Possamai, and Dr. Fabiano R. de Melo for their help with logistics and long-term collaboration.
Many people have contributed to the long-term demographic data records of the Muriqui Project of Caratinga, and I am grateful to them all (in alphabetical order by first name): Adriana Odalia Rímoli, Alba Ziloccochi Coli, Amanda de Lucas Coimbra, Ana Biatriz Siqueira de Morais, Ana R. D. de Carvalho, Anamélia de Souza Jesus, André Ferreira, Andréia Maria da Silva, Andreia S. de Olivera, Antonio Robério G. Freire Filho, Arthur Rocha, Beatriz Araujo Couto, Beatriz Cecato, Breno G.M. da Silva, Camila Barrios Corrêa, Carla de Borba Possamai, Claudia G. Costa, Claudio P. Nogueira, Caroline de Barros Rodrigues, Cristiane César Coelho, Daniel da Silva Ferraz, Daniel Vilasboas Slomp, Danusa Guedes, Dennison Carvalho, Eduardo M.V. Veado, Fabricio Fernandes, Fernanda Machado Valério, Fernanda Neri, Fernanda P. Paim, Fernanda Pedreiro Tabacow, Francisco D.C. Mendes, Igor I. Martins, Isabela Gomes Moreira, Í talo Mourthé, Janaina Fidelis de Oliveira, Jean Philipe Boubli, Jefferson Cordeiro, Jeronimo Sanguinetti, João Vitor Faria, Joice de Lima, José Cassimiro da Silva Junior, José Gustavo Vieira Adler, José Rímoli, Juliana Fernandes Vitorino de França, Karynna Tolentino de Souza, Laiena T. Dib, Laura Castro Azambuja Gonçalves, Letícia Almeida Moura, Lilian Teixeira Cardoso, Luana Vinhas Muniz Santos, Lucio P. de Oliveira, Luisa Arnedo, Luiz Gustao Dias, Marcos Tokuda, Maira D. Loucença Assunção, Maria Amélia F. Maciel, Maria Fernanda Iurck, Mariane Kaizer, Marilha Mardegan, Marina Schultz, Maristela Cichelero, Marlon Lima, Mirian Annechine Marçal, Mirieli Costa Ramos, Naíla Fernandes Ferreira, Nilcemar Bejar, Paulo Coutinho, Pedro Paulo Rezende Alves, Pollyanna S. Campos, Regiane Romanini de Oliviera, Renan César Cruz Batista, Robson O.E. Hack, Roger da Silva Genelhu, Rodrigo Augusto Santos das Chagas, Rodrigo Cambara Printes, Rodrigo Gonçalves Amaral, Samantha Rocha, Samara Luzia Geraldeli Querubim, Sebastião da Silva Ramos Neto, Tatiane Cardoso, Thiago Cavalcante Ferreira,Vagner de Souza, Valéria Cristina de Paula Ribeiro, Vanessa O. Guimaraes, Waldney P. Martins, William A. Teixeira.
I especially thank Russ Mittermeier for introducing me to the muriquis, Senhor Feliciano for his hospitality and support, Carla B. Possamai and Fernanda P. Tabacow for their commitment to the long-term Project and permission to use their photos, Ramiro Abdalla Passos for his leadership of Preserve Muriqui, Fabiano R. de Melo for encouraging me to see the merits of management, and Sérgio Lucena Mendes for many years of conversations, collaboration, and help in all aspects of the Project.
The field study has been supported by funds from a variety of sources, including the National Science Foundation (BNS 8305322, BCS 8619442, BCS 8958298, BCS 9 414129, BCS 0621788,BCS 0921013), National Geographic Society, Liz Claiborne and Art Ortenberg Foundation, Fulbright Foundation, Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid, Grant #213 from the Joseph Henry Fund of the NAS, World Wildlife Fund, L.S.B. Leakey Foundation, Chicago Zoological Society, Lincoln Park Zoo Neotropic Fund, Center for Research on Endangered Species (CRES), Margot Marsh Biodiversity Foundation, Conservation International, the Primate Action Fund, the Muriqui Instituto de Biodiversidade (MIB), the Neotropical Primate Fund of Re:wild, the Graduate School of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a Hilldale Professorship and a Vilas Research Professorship from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I also thank Pablo Fernicola, Sonia Souza, and the Microsoft Corporation Employee and Salesforce Matching Gifts Program for their donations to the project, and Global Wildlife Conservation and most recently, the Neotropical Primates Fund of Re:Wild.
This research has complied with all institutional IACUC guidelines and U.S. and Brazilian permissions and regulations.