Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Blindern, P.O. Box 1066, 0316, Oslo, Norway.
Department of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, 92834, USA.
Primates. 2020 Nov;61(6):785-796. doi: 10.1007/s10329-020-00831-4. Epub 2020 Jun 6.
Reliable data on the distribution and threats facing primate species are crucial to identifying priority sites for conservation and designing effective management plans. Boutourlini's blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii) is a little-known arboreal primate endemic to the forests of western Ethiopia. This subspecies is categorized as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and the distribution of extant populations is largely unknown. To increase our knowledge of the spatial distribution and conservation status of Boutourlini's blue monkey, we carried out intensive reconnaissance surveys from January 2010 to May 2011 across approximately 40% of its potential range and conducted interviews with local people at each of the survey locations. We carried out geospatial analyses and mapped the distribution of Boutourlini's blue monkey localities with respect to elevation, protected area status, and changes in forest cover over time using ArcGIS 10.4.0. Through our surveys, we discovered 30 previously unknown Boutourlini's blue monkey populations in three administrative regions of western Ethiopia (Amhara, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Regions). A total of 34 different groups were sighted and counted at the survey sites, averaging 14.7 members (range 8-23) per group. There are now 32 Boutourlini's blue monkey populations of recently confirmed occurrence at altitudes ranging from 1039 to 2780 m asl, seven in forests of greater than 50 km. Crop feeding by Boutourlini's blue monkeys was reported by people at seven sites and confirmed through direct observation at three of these sites. None of the known extant populations of Boutourlini's blue monkeys occur within a strictly protected area (e.g., national park) where exploitative human activities are outlawed. A complete reassessment of the distribution and conservation status of Boutourlini's blue monkey will require further surveys across the remaining approximately 60% of its potential range.
关于灵长类物种分布和面临威胁的可靠数据对于确定保护的优先地点和制定有效的管理计划至关重要。布图尔利尼氏蓝猴（Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii）是一种鲜为人知的树栖灵长类动物，仅分布于埃塞俄比亚西部的森林中。该亚种在国际自然保护联盟（IUCN）红色名录中被列为易危物种，其现存种群的分布范围在很大程度上尚不清楚。为了增加我们对布图尔利尼氏蓝猴空间分布和保护状况的了解，我们于 2010 年 1 月至 2011 年 5 月在其潜在分布范围的约 40%进行了密集的侦察调查，并在每个调查地点与当地人进行了访谈。我们使用 ArcGIS 10.4.0 进行了地理空间分析，并绘制了布图尔利尼氏蓝猴地点相对于海拔、保护区状况以及随着时间的推移森林覆盖变化的分布图。通过我们的调查，我们在埃塞俄比亚西部的三个行政区（阿姆哈拉、奥罗米亚和南部地区、民族和人民地区）发现了 30 个以前未知的布图尔利尼氏蓝猴种群。在调查地点共观察到和计数了 34 个不同的群体，每个群体平均有 14.7 名成员（范围为 8-23 名）。目前，有 32 个布图尔利尼氏蓝猴种群最近被确认存在于海拔 1039 至 2780 米的范围内，其中 7 个种群分布在面积大于 50 平方公里的森林中。在七个地点，人们报告了布图尔利尼氏蓝猴的作物觅食行为，并在其中三个地点通过直接观察得到了证实。在已知的布图尔利尼氏蓝猴现存种群中，没有一个种群位于严格保护的区域（例如国家公园）内，在这些区域内禁止剥削性的人类活动。要对布图尔利尼氏蓝猴的分布和保护状况进行全面重新评估，还需要在其潜在分布范围的其余约 60%进行进一步调查。
