Assessing the importance of artificial canopy bridge design for Costa Rican monkeys in an experimental setting

Abstract Although artificial crossing structures are increasingly implemented by conservationists and wildlife managers to connect fragmented habitat, the study of structure design, particularly canopy bridges, is an emerging field in primatology. We address this issue evaluating five competing bridge models with varying width, material stiffness, substrate spacing. assessed preference performance sampling behavior three species Costa Rican monkeys ( Alouatta palliata : n = 4, Ateles geoffroyi 3, Cebus imitator 3). In a semi-wild setting, we used focal individual instantaneous recording once every minute for ten-minute intervals all occurrences whenever subjects bridge. hypothesized that prefer bridges more stable, made materials resemble tree branches. During nearly 37 hours observed 119 events. found built using rigid materials, such as bamboo pole bridge, or wider offer stability than narrower bridges. The type build both significant predictors use. While their varies species, model horizontal mesh were preferred performed best our study. simple liana was least poorly comparison other models. Our findings will help us better understand how design impact use monkeys, which can improve biological corridors new information management conservation primates living near infrastructure kinds dangerous matrix.