Photographs and video captured by World Land Trust funded “Keeper of the Wild” REGUA Ranger Rildo da Rosa Oliveira, show the “endangered” Muriquis seem to have been less affected by the Yellow Fever bout that impacted the populations of the Howler monkeys earlier this year.

A couple of Howler carcasses were found on a REGUA partner property and the forests have remained silent as a result of the Yellow Fever that spread over South East Brazil.    A massive campaign to vaccinate people resulted but it was impossible for doctors to reach the primates in the forests.

Rildo was walking the REGUA Red Trail high, above the waterfall in November and heard barking coming from lofty tree canopies some way away.    Following the sound he quickly detected the group of five adults.   An adult female Muriqui had her young with her and tried to scare Rildo away, but it was too good an opportunity to miss.

Rildo has heard the Howlers calling over the last month, so it seems we haven’t lost all populations.   Fingers crossed that our continued restoration will give all species the room to increase in numbers and with corridors strengthen their populations.

Further studies are needed, but Rildo is delighted to share his rare sightings of the Muriqui with us.