Notes on the conservation threats to the western lesser spot-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus petaurista buettikoferi) in the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau, West Africa)

A new study reveals significant conservation threats to the western lesser spot-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus petaurista buettikoferi) in Guinea-Bissau's Bijagós Archipelago, including habitat loss and a previously undocumented commercial wild meat trade. While subsistence hunting has been noted, this research is the first to document organized commercial trafficking of the species from seaports to urban markets like Bissau and Bubaque Island. The study highlights the severe impact of such trade on small insular populations with limited carrying capacity, emphasizing the need for baseline research combining qualitative and quantitative methods to understand social drivers behind hunting threats.

Colmonero-Costeira, I., Sá, R. M., Djaló, M. L., Cunha, N., Cunha, J., Minhós, T., Russo, I.-R. M., Bruford, M. W., Costa, S., & Ferreira da Silva, M. J. (2023). Notes on the conservation threats to the western lesser spot-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus petaurista buettikoferi) in the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau, West Africa). Primates, 64(6), 581–587. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10329-023-01090-9