Muriquis receive protection from the sky

Researchers capture, for the first time, images of primates in the interior of the State of Rio using a drone with a thermal camera

For the first time, researchers supported by the Guapiaçu Project, carried out by Ação Socioambiental, used technology to spot the southern muriqui, one of the most endangered primates in the world. The discovery, in addition to being exciting, marks a breakthrough in the use of drones with thermal cameras for biodiversity monitoring.

The southern muriqui, considered the largest primate species in the Americas, is listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List due to its high risk of extinction. Habitat destruction, which extends across the Serra do Mar — covering northern Paraná, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais — and hunting are the main factors threatening the species.

In the context of the Guapiaçu Project's biodiversity monitoring program, the southern muriqui plays a fundamental role as an umbrella species. Its conservation benefits not only the species, but also promotes the protection of several other life forms that share the same ecosystem.

This achievement reinforces the importance of the union between technology and science for the preservation of nature and highlights the ongoing conservation efforts in one of the regions richest in biodiversity in Brazil.

The news was reported by Globo on Jornal Nacional.

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