Primate Conservation Efforts and Sustainable Development Goals in Ecuador, Combining Research, Education and Capacity...

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Sustainable Development

Background:

• Ecuadorian primates are ecologically vital but face severe conservation threats.
• Two primate conservation projects in Ecuador integrated research, education, and capacity building.
• Projects aimed to empower local communities for primate habitat protection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reflect on improving conservation project contributions to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• To assess the effectiveness of community-based conservation initiatives for Ecuadorian primates.
• To identify key elements for enhancing the impact of small-scale conservation projects.

Main Methods:

• Combining research, education, and capacity building with community engagement.
• Implementing conservation initiatives in eastern and western Ecuador.
• Monitoring primate populations and relevant indicators to assess intervention effectiveness.

Main Results:

• Community involvement in conservation did not consistently correlate with improved primate population status.
• Conservation efforts contribute to multiple SDGs, including Life on Land, Quality Education, and Climate Action.
• Sharing information between similar projects and developing local indicators are crucial.

Conclusions:

• Continuous monitoring of primate populations and indicators is essential for evaluating conservation success.
• Effective conservation requires objective assessment methods, including locally developed indicators.
• Collaboration and information exchange between conservation projects can enhance their overall impact and SDG contribution.