TROOP OF HOWLERS ROAMS FREELY IN SANTA CRUZ

 

By Heather Dawn Herrera

On nature's trail

Trinidad Guardian

January 17, 2000

Page 23

 

When you hear prolonged roaring sounds, echoing across the hills during the early morning hours, you just have to sit up and listen.

 

After all, Santa Cruz is supposed to be populated throughout with humans.

 

So where are those sounds emanating from?  Villages throughout the valley tell of the migratory patterns of these sounds.

 

Sometimes they come from immediate ridges, sometimes as far back along the hills as Maracas.

 

Gardeners whose plots climb the surrounding hills have identified the early morning "ruction".

 

A large band of red howler monkeys has been living in the forested areas of the heights for years, frequenting certain ridges - depending on available feed.

 

During "pennypiece" season, a tract of these trees can come alive with these primates each day.

 

When balata or cocomaque are bearing, they remain in that area.

 

During hard periods, the band descends on the pawpaw fields climbing the hills, gathering their fill.

 

One gardener claims to have seen the monkeys climb the trees, descend with an armful of fruit, and run back into the forest.

 

The story of one hunter sparked the interest of our outfit.  The hunter told of a certain cave where the band actually lives.

 

He even went on to describe their habits as naturally clean.  Their droppings line the outside entrance to the cave but, within, not a speck is to be found.

 

For years, game warden, Fermin campo, has fourth for the safety of these primates, making regular patrols in the area to deter possible poaching.  Campo even treks over the hills to Maracas where the forest thrives, not having been razed by fires.

 

This column did two area patrols with Campo to locate the band of monkeys in their domain and to further support Campo's conservation of wildlife efforts.

 

On the first scout, we located the areas frequented by the howlers.  Some of these places turned out to be a disappointment because the forest had been ravaged by fire with only some cocorite stands struggling to retain life.

 

Further north in the Santa Cruz hills, we saw signs of the howlers' presence.

 

However, available water in the wildpines was plentiful but feed was scarce at this time.

 

Most of the caves, which the hunter had described, had been blasted by the quarry during its past operation.

 

A few remained here and there, but there were no signs of howler habitation outside or inside.  It was while preparing to go on the second trip that we saw a huge howler swinging from a branch atop the ridge, his form silhouetted against the early morning sky.

 

The others, hidden in the still darkened greenery around, were creating quite a din by now, sending their customary howls echoing across the hills and valleys.

 

By the time we had climbed the hill and reached the spot, they had travelled further north along the ridge. 

 

Strong January breezes whipped through the trees making us shiver but our howlers apparently were not fazed as we continued to hear their lively sounds still further north.

 

What was obviously their favourite tree now stood deserted, the night droppings the only clue to their previous occupation.

 

Over the hills to the Maracas side, the howlers now roamed freely, happy in a pristine forested environment where sustenance, water and safety are guaranteed.

TOP