Costa Rican Squirrel Monkey
Saimiri oerstedii citrinellus Thomas, 1904
CR B1ab(i,ii,iii)

Saimiri oerstedii is the only species of squirrel monkey found in Central America, and the fact that its two taxa are so widely separated from their South American cousins suggests that their presence here may have resulted from an introduction aided by man. The Costa Rican squirrel monkey (Saimiri oerstedi citrinellus) is endemic to that country, where it is restricted to forest fragments in the mangroves and mountain foothills of the western coast. Threats to its survival include deforestation and forest fragmentation due to agricultural expansion and logging, as well as the targeted destruction of mangrove forests to expand the infrastructure for tourism. The very small Manuel Antonio National Park (683 ha) is the only protected area in which this squirrel monkey is found, but the park’s area is not considered large enough to preserve the genetic diversity of the 200-200 animals that utilize its forests. Forests in the foothills between the Naranjo and División Rivers may harbor a viable population, but further field research is necessary. At present, the best estimate of total population is approximately 1,000 animals.