357
Abstract The ongoing growth of the Brazilian city of Manaus—the largest urban
center in the central Amazon basin—has led to extremes of habitat fragmentation
and the local extinction of many animal and plant species. One species in particu-
lar—the pied tamarin ( Saguinus bicolor) is threatened by this process more than
most, considering that its 7,500 km
2
geographic range coincides with the Manaus
City region. This situation has led to the classification of the species in the endan-
gered IUCN category, although it has previously been considered critically endan-
gered. Dozens of small fragments of forest can still be found within the urban area
of Manaus, and tamarins survive at many of these sites. In most cases, the urban
matrix—with busy roads, power lines, and domestic animals—is virtually impene-
trable, while the rural area to the east of the city is becoming increasingly frag-
mented. The reduced size and poor quality of most forest fragments and the eventual
need for the dispersal of surplus individuals has highly deleterious implications for
the survival of most populations. The ongoing deforestation of fragments for the
establishment of residential areas has led to the death of many individuals and the
reduction of remaining populations. In some cases, fragments are occupied by no
more than one or two individuals although larger fragments, such as that of the
UFAM campus, which covers 700 ha may contain dozens or even hundreds of
S. bicolor. Dispersing animals risk dying in traffic, attacks from domestic animals,
electric shocks from power lines, and capture as pets by local residents. For exam-
ple, the access road to the UFAM campus that passes through the forest is respon-
sible for the death of approximately 5 % of the local population per year. The
generalized disrespect for environmental legislation and the lack of effort on the
Chapter 23
The Challenges of Survival in a Concrete
Jungle: Conservation of the Pied Tamarin
( Saguinus bicolor) in the Urban Landscape
of Manaus, Brazil
Marcelo Gordo, Fabiano O. Calleia, Sâmia A. Vasconcelos,
José J.F. Leite, and Stephen F. Ferrari
M. Gordo (*) • F.O. Calleia • S.A. Vasconcelos • J.J.F. Leite
Projeto Sauim-de-Coleira, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
e-mail: projetosauim@gmail.com
S.F. Ferrari
Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
e-mail: ferrari@pq.cnpq.br
L.K. Marsh and C.A. Chapman (eds.), Primates in Fragments: Complexity
and Resilience, Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects,
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-8839-2_23, © Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013