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Tragic photo of the endangered endemic Azuero spider monkey, crossing through 'no monkey's land'. This species is highly adapted to life in the treetops, so it is very unusual to see one on the ground, where there is a far greater risk of predation. It is all the more rare to see a mother decide that she needs to take such a risk with her young one.

This was the only choice left to her in the fragmented landscape of Azuero. Decades of slash and burn agriculture for cattle ranching have turned the forest into little islands of trees, barely enough to support the remaining spider monkey populations. This mother and her baby were crossing between two such islands, possibly because she ran out of fruit in her fragment.

However, this is a story of hope. This camera was collecting baseline data on mammal populations in an area destined for reforestation. Ponterra is a reforestation startup working with local cattle ranchers to increase forest cover and connectivity in Azuero. This photo hopefully documents the last time spider monkeys will need to cross bare ground at this location.