Consumption of Crops by Capuchin Monkeys Living in an Anthropogenic Habitat: Combining Quantitative Evaluation of Crop Loss with Farmers' Perceptions

As proximity to cultivated areas grows, wildlife is increasingly exploiting anthropogenic foods, resulting in economic loss to farmers. Among Neotropical primates, capuchin monkeys (genera Sapajus and Cebus ) stand out as frequent crop foragers. In many regions where primates interact with humans, negative perceptions generated through negative primate behaviour can threaten their conservation, especially when using economically important resources. At the same time, the rapid expansion of human activities is a major cause of deforestation and habitat fragmentation affecting primate behaviour and their ability to persist in these areas. Thus, who is the invader? Using cross-disciplinary methods, we evaluated the perceptions of farmers sharing space with S. libidinosus in Piauí, Northeastern Brazil using semi-structured interviews, and quantified the consumption of maize (a key local crop) through direct observations of three groups of capuchin monkeys. In this region, agricultural areas form part of the capuchin's home range, with native forests degraded and fragmented. Local people mostly practice subsistence agriculture. Of all crops grown in the region, farmers reported that capuchins mostly fed on maize, with individual farmers rating damage levels from 'zero' to 'very high'. Although farmers reported that capuchin monkeys are the major causes of crop damage, birds account for over a third of the total loss. The exploitation of human food sources by capuchins seems to reflect their opportunistic and flexible behaviour. Farmers must take account of this flexibility and adopt strategies to reduce crop damage, such as planting further from forest edges and water sources used by monkeys during daily activities. Research approved by the Ethical Committee of the Institute of Psychology, São Paolo University.