Yellow fever outbreak temporarily changes dispersal patterns in an endangered primate

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Wildlife Disease Ecology
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Disease outbreaks pose significant threats to wild populations.
• Understanding the effects of disease on social behavior and population demographics is crucial for conservation.
• The golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) is an endangered species inhabiting Brazil's Atlantic forest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impacts of a yellow fever outbreak on the endangered golden lion tamarin.
• To analyze changes in survival rates, dispersal patterns, and social group structure.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a multi-site capture-recapture model.
• Analyzed data from the fragmented Atlantic forest in Brazil.
• Compared demographic and behavioral data before, during, and after the outbreak period.

Main Results:

• Annual adult survival rate declined significantly during the 2017-2018 yellow fever outbreak.
• Dispersal patterns shifted, with increased rates between forest fragments and reduced settlement time within fragments.
• The number of individuals per social group decreased during the outbreak, while the total number of groups increased post-outbreak.

Conclusions:

• The yellow fever outbreak caused a spatial rearrangement of golden lion tamarins, likely due to non-random mortality.
• Changes in individual movement and social behavior significantly altered population structure.
• Effective species response strategies to infectious diseases must integrate host movement, social behavior, and habitat connectivity.