A record of diurnal birth and placentophagia in an urban-dwelling female black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya, Primates: Atelidae) in the City of Pilar, south-west Paraguay

Abstract

Placentophagia, the postpartum consumption of the afterbirth by a mother, is widespread among eutherian mammals and linked to both endocrinological and ecological advantages. However, its occurrence in urban-dwelling arboreal primates, including the genus Alouatta, is not well represented in the literature. This is the first recorded instance of diurnal birth and placentophagia in an urban environment by a female black-and-gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) in Pilar, Paraguay. Observations were made as part of the Para La Tierra Urban Howler Project. A total of 165-minutes of observations during the postpartum period are reported presently, including behaviours of the mother, neonate, and other group members. The mother exhibited self- and allogrooming of the infant, and consumption of the placenta and umbilical cord, which aligns with known Alouatta post-parturition behaviors, despite the novel urban setting. This event indicates the species' behavioral flexibility and suggests potential adaptation to urban habitats, that are absent of natural predators but present novel anthropogenic stressors. Understanding a species’ adaptability is vital for development of robust conservation strategies as primates increasingly inhabit urban landscapes.