Howler monkeys, native to Costa Rica, are increasingly threatened by human activity. Traditionally known for swinging from branch to branch using their tails, these monkeys are now often seen navigating power lines due to uncontrolled urbanization that has reshaped many ecosystems. When these animals jump from power line to power line, they can inadvertently create an electric circuit that may injure or even kill them.
The Wild Sun Rescue Center, a non-profit animal rescue organization, frequently deals with this issue. According to their data, from August 2018 to January 2019, over 50% of the monkeys admitted to the center were victims of electrocution, and 75% of those cases were fatal. The majority of survivors had to remain at the rescue center, while only a minority were eventually released back into the wild.
The environmental and economic costs of these incidents are high. Rescue and treatment cost about US$1,500 per monkey, and repair expenses for damaged power lines range from $250 to $100,000 per incident.
Several solutions have been proposed, including building wildlife bridges, insulating power lines, or moving them underground. Notably, Esri partner Hammerhead Technology has employed advanced GIS technology to map power line locations in relation to areas where howler monkey electrocutions have occurred.
“Hammerhead researchers utilized ArcGIS Pro to explore, analyze, and display key location data for electric poles, power lines, transformers, and howler monkey electrocutions,” noted the Esri team. By collecting and analyzing data, the team identified electrocution hotspots in Nosara. With the help of the Sloth Conservation Foundation, they estimated the costs of insulating electrical infrastructure in these areas.
“Replacing exposed power lines with insulated lines in hotspots could have prevented up to 70 percent of the electrocutions during the study period in the researched area,” Hammerhead revealed. The company, along with several environmental organizations, hopes to continue this project by collaborating with local electric companies to develop targeted solutions based on GIS data.
