Searching for Gold
by Alex Hawes
"There are two rainforests in Brazil, and one of them is nearly gone," says Lou Ann Dietz of World Wildlife Fund-U.S. The one nearly gone is not famed Amazonia, but rather the Atlantic Forest habitat of southeastern Brazil. Conservation International (CI) considers this biologically rich ecosystem one of the three most threatened "hotspots" on the planet, and World Wildlife Fund targets the Atlantic Forest as one of its Global 200 areas of outstanding diversity to fight to conserve. Only eight percent of the original Atlantic Forest ecosystem remains, according to the latest estimate. Yet more than half of this habitats tree species and 80 percent of its primate speciesincluding the endangered muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides), one of South Americas largest and rarest monkeysare found nowhere else on Earth.
The National Zoo has played a crucial role in the conservation of one of the Atlantic Forests imperiled jewels: the golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia). Nearly 35 percent of Brazils estimated 580 golden lion tamarins were reintroduced from the National Zoo and other cooperating institutions, or descend from reintroduced individuals. Many live in and around the Poço das Antas Biological Reserve, one of the last remnants of tamarin habitat, 60 miles northeast of Rio de Janeiro.
Accustomed to human presenceand fitted with radio collars for researchthe reintroduced tamarins are fairly easy for nature guides to track down. By law, tourism is not allowed within biological reserves in Brazil. However, those determined to see golden lion tamarins in the wild can visit private property surrounding Poço das Antas. Because the reserve itself has reached full capacity for tamarins, 15 private farms in the area have received reintroduced individuals. According to Dietz, some property owners have volunteered to host golden lion tamarins just for the sake of conservation; others have been convinced by the incentive of potential tourist dollars. One local farmer has recently built a small hotel that can house 20 guests.
Farther north in the Atlantic Forest, another dazzling creaturethe golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas)struggles for survival. Conservation International, with support from Anheuser-Busch, has built a canopy walkway at Una EcoPark, adjacent to the Una Biological Reserve, in order for tourists visiting the areas beach resorts to make a side-trip into this endangered creatures forest home.
"Its a fantastically beautiful area that reminds one of Kauai in Hawaiiwhite sand, black rocks, blue ocean," says Keith Alger, a conservation worker in Brazil currently on a fellowship with CI. More than 500 paying visitors, most Brazilian, ventured to Una EcoPark last January. Local school groups have also visited there to enjoy the sights and sounds of their neighborhoods primate treasure.
Alex Hawes
ZooGoer 29(4) 2000. Copyright 2000 Friends of the National Zoo. All rights reserved.
