Costa Rica Monkeys

CONGO AND WHITE-FACED MONKEYS RE-INHABIT SANTA ROSA PARK

Everyday, more and more Howler and White-faced monkeys are taking refuge in the Santa Rosa National park, located in Guanacaste.Studies done by the researcher Linda Fedigan, from the University of Calgary (Canada), show that according to the last few years, there are more examples of this primate species living in the forests in this Guanacaste area.While, in 1972, there were 85 Howler monkeys and 300 White-faced monkeys, these numbers have gradually increased to the point that, last year, there were 620 Howlers and 740 White-faced monkeys.For Fedigan, the increase is a direct consequence of the protected zone.There are three monkey species that live in the Santa Rosa National Park: the Howlers (also known as Congos in Spanish), White-faced (or Capuchinos) and Spider (or Colorados in Spanish).Fedigan’s census has focused on Howler and White-faced, even though Spider monkeys live there also. The rapid spread through the forests makes it difficult to count them using traditional methods, which involves finding a group, then counting them.