Lower Habitat Quality Increases Physiological Stress in an Endangered Neotropical Primate

• DOI: 10.1111/acv.70003
• Publication Date: 2025-03-11T13:07:00Z
• Authors: Olivier Kaisin; Rodrigo Gonçalves...; Felipe Bufalo; Gabriel Pavan Sabino; Rupert Palme; Pascal Poncin; Gabriela Cabral R...; Fany Brotcorne; Laurence Culot

ABSTRACT Understanding how habitat quality affects wildlife is one of the fundamental questions conservation biology and ecology. Across tropics, loss degradation threaten arboreal species, such as primates. To establish well‐founded, species‐specific management plans, it crucial to have an adequate understanding a species' diet, behaviour, habitat, ecology physiology. Measuring physiological stress in these species offers exclusive insight into they cope adapt within their environment. Here, we evaluated influence on cortisol levels black lion tamarins ( Leontopithecus chrysopygus ), endangered frugivorous–faunivorous primate endemic state São Paulo, Brazil. We compared hair concentrations among six different tamarin populations inhabiting forest fragments varying quality. adopted patch‐landscape approach measured cover estimate availability for each population. study, calculated total tree basal area, proxy structure maturity that positively correlated fruit availability. Our model revealed increased amount available area decreased. Lower may alter resource acquisition disrupt ranging patterns tamarins, well increase degree anthropogenic disturbances. Furthermore, forests with smaller trees might impair movement decrease sleeping site Given small, unprotected riparian represent important habitats its geographic range, protecting areas, while increasing inter‐fragment connectivity limiting human encroachment, this species.