Proyecto Titi: Teaching children that cotton‐top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) are not appropriate pets.

Savage, Anne; Díaz, Leysthen; Pasion, Johana; Torregroza, Katherine; Guillen, Rosamira

Cotton‐top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) are a critically endangered species found only in Colombia. Their survival is threatened by extensive habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade. Because many people in Colombia have a low level of awareness of cotton‐top tamarins and even less understanding of the impacts that the illegal pet trade has on the species and its long‐term survival, Proyecto Tití has developed a series of programs for children in rural elementary schools that introduce children to cotton‐top tamarins. This study examines Proyecto Titi's efforts to reduce the desire to have a cotton‐top tamarin as a pet with outcomes focused specifically on (1) creating an emotional connection between people and cotton‐top tamarins, (2) identifying the feelings and understanding the challenges that cotton‐top tamarin face when they are kept as pets, and (3) empowering students to make positive choices to help cotton‐top tamarins. Both TITI KIDS and TITIRITIANDO programs helped students to (1) increase their knowledge of cotton‐top tamarins, (2) understand the damage that the pet trade has on individual animals and the long‐term survival of cotton‐top tamarins and (3) provide practical actions that they can engage in to protect cotton‐top tamarins for the future. Our hope is that students from our programs become advocates for conservation in their communities and assist in the long‐term conservation activities to protect cotton‐top tamarins in Colombia. Research Highlights: 1.Student participating in TITÍ KIDS increased their ability to correctly identify and classify domestic animals and native Colombian wildlife and 98% of the students could identify a cotton‐top tamarin following the program.2.Students participating in TITÍ KIDS (t = 4.09, p < 0.0001, df = 38) and TITIRITIANDO (t = 42.73, df = 431, p < 0.00001) were able to identify more than one negative impact of keeping cotton‐top tamarins as pets.3.TITIRITIANDO students were more likely to name more than one action that they could do to protect cotton‐top tamarins (t = 29.87, df = 31, p < 0.00001) following the program.

COLOMBIA; PETS; SCHOOL children; PET industry; HABITAT destruction; COMMUNITIES; HUMAN-animal relationships; ENDANGERED species; RURAL children

American Journal of Primatology, 2023, Vol 85, Issue 5, p1

0275-2565

Academic Journal

10.1002/ajp.23431