European <i>ex situ</i> programmes for larger New World monkeys

Abstract

Captive breeding programmes for primates can support the conservation of in situ populations of endangered species. European zoos, organised in the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, keep almost 4000 larger Neotropical primates in their collections. Most of the species are managed in cooperative breeding programmes of various sizes. We report the current state of the European captive breeding programmes for these species and discuss the role assigned to each programme for the conservation of in situ primates. European zoos are successfully breeding most species currently kept under their care and are able to make an important contribution to the captive breeding of other, more endangered primate species, if requested by range countries. Many zoos that keep larger Neotropical primates provide financial or techni- cal support to in situ conservation projects.