Vista Alegre supplied approximately 40% of the night monkeys sold illegally to the FIDIC laboratory in Leticia. The trade had been ongoing for over 25 years.
In 2009, Entropika started the ‘Aotus project’, carrying out wildlife population assessments using the Aotus (the Latin name for the Musmuki monkey) as the flagship species. In 2010, a hunting ban was introduced to help the population to recover and in 2018, 27 members of the local community launched the Musmuki Tourism Association to offer low-impact nature activities, such as jungle hikes, wildlife watching tourism, and experiential tourism, all of which are guided by knowledgeable locals, offering an insight into the local way of life and surrounding nature.
The Musmuki Tourism Association also provides a source of income to 60 residents of Vista Alegre, increasing their income from between 15% to 42%; many of those involved were former traders.
Today, the Musmuki Tourism Association is completing tourist accommodation to increase revenue capacity and continues to work with Entropika to conduct genetic and parasitological studies to better understand the status and health of wild populations of Musmuki monkeys and possible zoonotic risks.
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