Marcia Macedo Executive Summary Ecotourism has long been touted as an ecologically and economically desirable method of promoting ecosystem conservation. By creating local economic incentives for ecosystem preservation it can theoretically benefit local people, provide an economic justification for the existence of protected areas, and preserve some of the most biologically diverse systems on the planet. However, recent studies indicate that, in practice, wildlife tourism may not be as ecologically neutral as we once believed.
Neotropical forests are among the most threatened biological systems still in existence.
Tourists visiting these areas often focus on the viewing of charismatic species such as birds and large mammals. The New World monkeys are among the most attractive of these species to wildlife viewers. It has often been assumed that, because of their remarkable ability to adapt, primates can easily cope with human presence. Despite this resilience, close proximity to humans as a result of tourism has already led to a number of negative consequences in wild populations. Documented impacts include changes in behavior and foraging patterns, increased disease prevalence, decreased reproductive success, and increased mortality.