200 Saraguato monkeys have already been reported dead due to high temperatures in the states of Tabasco and Chiapas.
AZCARM warns that Semarnat is removing primate experts from the area.
AZCARM is a civil association that, since 1985, brings together 90 partners among zoos, hatcheries and aquariums of the Mexican Republic with the aim of promoting the fulfillment of the objectives of modern zoos, such as research, environmental education and the conservation of wild species in captivity.
To date, nearly 200 Saraguato monkeys have died in the tropical regions of Tabasco and Chiapas after the heat waves that hit the country, although according to the Association of Zoos, Hatcheries and Aquariums of Mexico (AZCARM), there could be more.
Through a statement, AZCARM reported that, in addition to the deaths, there is an undetermined number of orphaned calves who have little chance of surviving after the death of their mothers.
Likewise, the association warned that, in the midst of the crisis, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) made the decision to remove several primate experts who worked in the region from the area.
According to Ernesto Zazueta, president of AZCARM, the decision was made by Román Hernández Martínez, head of the Semarnat Delegation Coordinating Unit.
Zazueta mentioned that Hernández Martínez, who is neither a biologist nor a veterinarian, decided to expel the specialists because civil associations and NGOs informed the media about the situation, which, according to Semarnat, created a “global problem.”
After the death of Saraguato monkeys was announced, Semarnat asked the media to limit themselves to official sources to avoid confusion and the spread of false information that could lead to bad practices or compromise the integrity of wild life.
However, Zazueta stated that civil associations will continue to inform and work to rescue specimens of this species at risk of disappearing.
Regarding the causes of deaths, the first necropsies suggest that heat stroke could be a factor, although these results are from a single specimen in Tabasco.
In Chiapas, other findings have been found and more pathology results are expected, so it could be another problem that is causing so many deaths in the region.
Zazueta warned that it is crucial not to prematurely conclude that heat is the only cause, since there could be other pathological causes that, if not properly addressed, could lead to the total extinction of the species and even represent a risk to the health of the local population if It would be a zoonosis (infectious diseases naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans).
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