1. Proyecto Mono
Tocón
Local Initiatives for Biodiversity Conservation
August 2012
Content
Titi monkey conservation in
T he San Martin titi monkey clearly is the most endangered
primate species of Peru, and one of the most endangered
primates of South America. While there still may be a considerable
Huallaga Central and Bajo
Mayo number of individuals, most of them live in small isolated
fragments with no chance for survival. It is doubtful if there still
Birds and titi monkeys
exists a viable population living in an area where their protection is possible.
The search for the mountain Fortunately, while the species was hardly known in 2007 when we started the
uakaris continues
project, Proyecto Mono Tocón succeeded in bringing the species under the
Corridors for titi monkeys
attention of others, which resulted in new conservation initiatives for the
Rapid assessment of the species. What we need now is the support of some large conservation
conservation values in organisations, that usually focus on more emblematic species like gorillas and
Lamas
giant otters, to establish a region–wide conservation strategy for the San
Pucunucho Conservation Martin titi monkey. Let’s hope that they soon will join us to prevent the
Committe
extinction of this attractive monkey!
Titbits of titi news Jan Vermeer
Ongoing projects Dear readers, in this second newsletter of Project director
the year I would like to invite you to get to
Volunteers requested
know closely the projects implemented to
protect one of the species endemic of our re-
gion, the titi monkey (Callicebus oenanthe).
Furthermore I would like to encourage you
to work with us in order to avoid its extinction.
Victoria Pérez Tello
President
Titi monkey conservation in Huallaga Central and Bajo Mayo
T he applications for the conservation concessions
Shitariyacu and Tres Quebradas (5.800 hectares)
have been presented to the authorities and are still
under review. Work has started on the capacity build-
ing of the members of the local associations and the
guards. The guards who will do regular patrols will re-
ceive training to use GPS and collect biodiversity data.
At the same time an education program has started for
the villagers.
Huallaga River

2. Ojos de Agua Conservation Concession
Most of the work that we do in both villages has also been commenced for the
Ojos de Agua Conservation Concession (2.400 hectares), somewhat further to
the north. Here we investigate together with the local association the possibility
to expand the area with another 1.000 hectares.
Main sponsor of this project
Birds and titi monkeys
E cotourism can be an important source of income for San
Martin, provided that there stays enough nature to offer
the tourist. One of San Martin’s strengths is the high diversity of
birds. Peru has promoted the last few years the “northern bird-
ing route”, with several important birding areas in San Martin.
As income from ecotourism can motivate local associations and
authorities to protect their forest, birding can also become im-
portant for titi monkey conservation. For that reason, Proyecto
Mono Tocón has already given support to the Tingana Reserve,
where we trained the guides and installed an education centre.
We are preparing a similar project for the association that
administrated the Ojos de Agua Conservation Concession, a dry Training for Tingana guides
forest habitat with many rare species of birds and titi monkeys.
Workshops in Moyobamba and Tarapoto
Recently we were asked to organise with the NGO CORBIDI two workshops in Moyobamba and Tarapoto, titled
“The importance of birds for tourism”. During the workshops the new version of “Birds of Peru” was presented.
Workshop in Moyobamba Workshop in Tarapoto
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3. During the workshops several presentations on birds and birding tour-
ism were followed by interesting discussions. The day following the
workshops the participants visited together some of the interesting
birding areas near Moyobamba and Tarapoto. We were pleased that
the authorities showed much interest in the events, and hope that their
interest will be reflected in their conservation efforts.
New Spanish version of “Birds of Peru”
The search for the mountain uakaris continues
I n 2009 and 2010, Proyecto Mono Tocón conducted ex-
peditions in search of a new population of bald uakaris
(Cacajao calvus ssp.). A new and probably isolated popula-
tion was discovered in the mountains of northern San
Martin. We are pleased that the French association CEPA
(Conservation des Espèces et des Populations Animales),
La Boissière du Doré Zoo and the German Zoological
Society for the Conservation of Species and Populations
(ZGAP) offered to finance the continuation of the study.
During the wet season, when the water levels in the rivers
are high, we will survey two large areas east and north of Cacajao calvus ssp.
the discovered population. This is an area unknown for
science, and we intend to collect also data on other pri-
mate species living in the area.
We will keep you informed!
Main sponsors of the project
Corridors for titi monkeys
T he surveys of the Proyecto Mono Tocón showed that the San
Martin titi monkey is critically endangered, mainly due to high
deforestation rates. Their current habitat consists of a series of
forest fragments surrounded by human agriculture and develop-
ment. Little is known about the capacity of the titi monkeys to
traverse among remnant forested patches. Because land conver-
sion is continuing at a high rate, it is imperative that important
patches linking forest remnants will be identified and subse-
quently protected.
Callicebus oenanthe
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4. As well, there is an opportunity to identify areas between patches
that could be restored through reforestation and serve as corridors.
Proyecto Mono Tocón has designed together with Jennifer Swenson,
Duke University, an extensive study map the remaining habitat
patches in the northern extent of the titi monkeys’ range where
human impact has been highest through the use of satellite imagery
and field validation. Actual and potential connections between pri-
mary habitat patches will be analysed with geospatial tools while
field studies will be conducted to identify which forest remnants are
being used by the animals, and characterize to what extent they are
ArcGIS’s “Corridor” tool assesses the traversability able to use existing corridors. This is a very interesting study, and
across a human matrix between two habitat patches very important as we will need the (connected) forest remnants to
(purple)
preserve the San Martin titi monkey. We are please that the Cleve-
land Zoological Society and Cleveland Metroparks Zoo have agreed
to partly finance this project. Proyecto Mono Tocón hopes to receive
additional grants from other organisations.
The project coincides with a study of the regional government and
Main sponsors of the project
several organisations on the importance of biological corridor for
nature conservation in San Martin.
Rapid assessment of the conservation values in Lamas
O n request of IUCN-NL/HIVOS, a Dutch organisation
that is planning a sustainable economical develop-
ment project with the local coffee cooperation, the
team of Proyecto Mono Tocón conducted a short survey
in three native Quechwa communities in the Lamas
province, near Tarapoto.
Forest in the native Quechwa community Chunchihui
The goal was to investigate if a economical
development could and should be accompanied by
nature conservation measures. The survey was for
us the opportunity to find out if Callicebus oenanthe
was living in that area, that had not yet been sur-
veyed by our team.
Coordinations in the native Quechwa community Chirykyacu
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5. The study revealed that San Martin titi monkeys are not known in that
area. There is an urgent need for environmental education; hunting
activities are unsustainable and most larger primate species seems to
have gone extinct in the territories. Parts of all kinds of wild animals are
for sale in the souvenir shops, giving a wrong message to the tourists.
The communities seem to be willing to conserve parts of their forest (up
to 11.000 hectares). Environmental education could also have a positive
effect on the protection of the neighbouring Regional Conservation Area
“Cordillera Escalera”.
We hope that IUCN-HIVOS will take over our sugges-
tions and will include a nature conservation compo-
nent in their projects. A project can only be really
Specimen of pygmy anteater sustainable if there is also attention for the nature Main sponsor
(Cyclopes didactylus) around the plantations and villages.
Pucunucho Conservation Committee
I n the last newsletter of April we already informed
you about the education project in Pucunucho.
This project is a cooperation with the NGO AMPA
(Amazónicos por la Amazonía) and financed by IUCN-
NL. The project was executed in the first months of this
year, and finished in June.
Pucunucho is an ideal place for environmental educa-
tion, both for the inhabitants of the nearby city of
Juanjui and for tourists.
A number of workshops and activities were organised
with the community members living around this small
but nice private reserve.
The Pucunucho Conservation Committee has been
established to ensure the protection of the area and to Reforestation project
promote sustainable development of natural resources.
During capacity building sessions the importance of biodiversity was explained. A reforestation project was
initiated to increase the forest cover of the area and to create a corridor between the reserve and another
forested area.
In parallel, we developed an environmental awareness program for children, mostly of members of the
Pucunucho Conservation Committee. They worked on the themes of flora, fauna, biodiversity and the problem of
the invasive species.
Several theoretical and practical workshops were organised, supported by the educational materials designed by
Proyecto Mono Tocón. Also, some videos were shown to sensitize children about the conservation of natural
resources.
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6. Education program for adults Education program for children
At the end of the project, we evaluated the knowledge acquired. This showed that, through the implementation
of this environmental education program, both adults and children had increased their level of knowledge about
environmental issues.
The nature guides of the Conservation Committee have already started their first tours with teachers of educa-
tional institutions Juanjui. The guides have worked together with the education team of Proyecto Mono Tocón to
develop the information panels and install these on the reserve, but also to set up the environmental interpreta-
tion centre.
Working in Pucunucho with a motivated group of locals that is devoted to conserve their environment was a
great experience and also instructive for our team. We are looking forward to further collaboration with our
friends of AMPA.
Interpretation Centre in Pucunucho
Main sponsor of the project
Pucunucho Conservation Committee Entity responsible for this project
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7. Titbits of Titi news
 Julio C. Tello Alvarado (head of research) has received a grant from the Inter-
national Primate Society to attend the IPS Pre-congress Training Program and
the subsequent congress. He will also present two posters: one on the distri-
bution and phenotypical variation of Callicebus oenanthe and a second on the
discovery of Cacajao in the mountains of San Martin.
 To promote Proyecto Mono Tocón, new posters and stickers have been Stickers of San Martin titi monkey
developed and will be distributed throughout San Martin.
 Many activities were organised for and with the youth of the nature clubs of
Calzada and Moyobamba. To celebrate “World Environmental Day” and “Earth
Hour” we participated to processions through the streets of Moyobamba. In
the botanical garden of Moyobamba new name cards for the different plant
species were painted and installed.
Members of the nature clubs
Ongoing projects Volunteers requested
Evaluation of the conservation status of primates in the Bosque  We are looking for an English speaking
de Protección Alto Mayo. With the support of Conservation person to help us with translations for
International Peru. the website, newsletters, publications,
etc. If you can help us, or know
Study on the distribution of the San Martin titi monkey somebody who can, please contact:
(Callicebus oenanthe) on the north of Huayabamba river. With Jan Vermeer
the support of Thoiry Peaugres Conservation. jan.vermeer@telfort.nl
 We are looking for a person with good
Initiatives for the conservation of the San Martin titi monkey
drawing skills for the production of a
(Callicebus oenanthe) in Eastern San Martin. With the support of new educational comic book (black and
Zoo d’Amnéville, Neotropical Primate Conservation and Le white). If you can help us, or know
Conservatoire pour la Protection des Primates. somebody who can, please contact:
Nature club JOESUCNA, a partner for conservation in Calzada. Jan Vermeer
With the support of Le Conservatoire pour la Protection des Pri- jan.vermeer@telfort.nl
mates.  If you want to participate in the
activities of the Proyecto Mono Tocón
Environmental Education Program on the Awajun schools of the you can contact:
Alto Mayo. With the support of Le Conservatoire pour la Protec- Antonio Bóveda Penalba
tion des Primates. conservacion@monotocon.org
 If you are interested in participating as
Environmental Education Program on the schools of Calzada and
a sponsor of Proyecto Mono Tocón
Yantalo . With the support of Le Conservatoire pour la Protection
contact:
des Primates.
Victoria Pérez Tello
asociacion@monotocon.org
Jan Vermeer
jan.vermeer@telfort.nl
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8. The work of Proyecto Mono Tocón is only possible thanks to the
generous financial support of:
We thank our partners for their collaboration:
Join our group at Facebook
www.facebook.com/monotocon
Soon you can visit us at...www.monotocon.org
For more information, please contact:
Jan Vermeer
jan.vermeer@telfort.nl
T: (+51) 42 564462
You can find us at...
Proyecto Mono Tocón
Jr. Reyes Guerra, 430
Moyobamba
Perú