LeAndra Luecke: Behavioral Ecology of Howler Monkeys
   

My research interests focus on the behavioral ecology of howler monkeys (Alouatta spp) in Mexico, Guatemala , and Belize. For my Master's thesis, I conducted population surveys, along with Alejandro Estrada (UNAM), of the endemic species A. pigra in several archaeological zones throughout the Mesoamerican region, including Calakmul, Yaxchilán, and Tikal . The results of these surveys are both published and in press, and are listed below (some with links to the abstracts and articles in .pdf format). My doctoral dissertation project involves the behavior and ecology of the black howler (A. pigra) and the mantled howler (A. palliata) in the northernmost part of the transition zone between the two species in Tabasco, Mexico .

More information on this type of work and on the Primate Laboratory at Los Tuxtlas , Veracruz , Mexico can be found at Dr. Estrada's website: http://www.primatesmx.com.
Alouatta pigra infant. Photo by A. Estrada.
   

  • Luecke, L. (2004). Distribution of the black howler monkey ( Alouatta pigra ) in Mesoamerica: A GIS analysis. American Journal of Primatology 62 (Supp. 1): 75-76. (pdf)
  • Estrada, A., Van Belle, S., Luecke, L. , and Rosales, M. (2004). Primate populations in the protected forests of Mayan archaeological sites in southern Mexico. American Journal of Primatology 62 (Supp. 1): 77. (pdf)
  • Estrada, A., Luecke, L. , Van Belle, S., Barrueta, E., and Meda, M. R. (2004). Survey of black howler ( Alouatta pigra ) and spider ( Ateles geoffroyi ) monkeys in the Mayan sites of Calakmul and Yaxchilan, Mexico and Tikal, Guatemala. Primates 45(1): 33-39. (pdf)
  • Luecke, L.G. (2004).  Howler monkey ( Alouatta pigra ) populations in five Maya archaeological zones in southern Mexico and northern Guatemala.  American Journal of Physical Anthropology S38: 138.
  • Estrada, A., Luecke, L. , Van Belle, S., French, K., Munoz, D., Garcia, Y., Castellanos, L., and Mendoza, A. (2002). The black howler monkey ( Alouatta pigra ) and spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) in the Mayan site of Yaxchilan, Chiapas, Mexico: a preliminary study. Neotropical Primates 10(2): 89-95. (pdf)

   
Sarie Van Belle and LeAndra Luecke taking GPS points in the forest of Calakmul, Mexico.

Look for the following book, due out summer 2005, based on the papers given at our symposium in April 2004 at the American Society of Primatologists annual meeting:

Estrada, A., Garber, P., Pavelka, M., and Luecke, L. (Eds). New Perspectives in the Study of Mesoamerican Primates: Distribution, Ecology, Behavior and Conservation. New York, New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.