86 P?ginas. Recurso Electr?nicaLos primates son elementos claves para el mantenimiento de los bosques tropicales, ya que son dispersores de semillas de una gran diversidad de plantas, que son b?sicas para mantener la din?mica y sucesi?n de los bosques. En actualidad una de las mayores amenazas para las especies es la p?rdida de su h?bitat, por lo tanto se hace necesario estudios en ?reas fragmentadas, que permitan generar conocimiento sobre su respuesta a estos ambientes con el fin de desarrollar los planes de manejo adecuados para su conservaci?n. En el presente estudio se describi? la ecolog?a b?sica de los monos aulladores rojos (Alouatta seniculus) en un fragmento de bosque en San Juan del Carare, Santander, Colombia, en el cual se establecieron los patrones de actividad, la dieta, el ?rea de actividad y la dispersi?n de semillas de seis grupos de monos aulladores rojos. Los datos se colectaron desde Enero del 2010 hasta noviembre del 2011, (con excepci?n de algunos meses), mediante seguimientos continuos y el m?todo de animal focal, registrando todos los eventos comportamentales as? como los de alimentaci?n. Durante estos seguimientos se colectaron las heces de los monos para evaluar la dispersi?n de semillas. Quincenalmente se desarroll? la revisi?n de transectos fenol?gicos para estimar la oferta de frutos del bosque. En San Juan del Carare al igual que en otros estudios los monos aulladores pasan la mayor parte de su d?a descansando (62,25 %), seguido por las actividades de alimentaci?n y movimiento. Las actividades sociales se realizan en una m?nima proporci?n, especialmente en los momentos de descanso. Se encontr? que las emisiones vocales de estos monos no presentan un patr?n claro como en otras poblaciones (al inicio de la ma?ana y al finalizar el atardecer), sino que las realizan de manera irregular y constante durante todo el d?a. En cuanto a su dieta los monos aulladores se alimentaron principalmente de hojas nuevas, los frutos fueron un ?tem importante en los momentos de mayor oferta de estos en el bosque y complementaron su dieta con flores, madera, corteza y tierra de termiteros. Tuvieron unas de las ?reas de hogar m?s peque?as reportada para la especie (entre 0.84 ha y 3,64 ha) y todos los grupos presentaron solapamiento con uno o m?s grupos. Dispersaron un n?mero considerable de semillas (36220 semillas) de 17 especies de plantas y las distancias de dispersi?n estuvieron entre 17,42 y 140,44 metros.ABSTRACT. Primates are essential elements in the preservation of tropical native forest; they are dispersers of a huge variety of plant?s seeds, these seeds are elementary to support the dynamics and the forest succession. Today?s main threat is the missing of primates habitat, in this way, researches have to been developed in fragmented areas, by these means is possible to generate knowledge about primates response to that studied environment, the result of this work is a managing plan that allows to the conservation of the individuals under consideration. The present study is focused in the analysis of the ?monos aulladores rojos? (Alouatta seniculus) basic ecology, a fragment of the San Juan del Carare forest, Santander, Colombia. In this study were established activity patrons, diet, home range and the seed?s dispersal of six groups of ?monos aulladores rojos? red howler monkeys in the project's field of influence. The information data was collected in regular periods of time from January 2010 to November 2011, through a continuous following and under the animal focal method of study, that files registered all the behavioural and nutritional events. Among this study, was possible the collection of a very rich sampling of primate?s faeces used to evaluate the seeds dispersion. Twice a month, there was the revision of the phenology transects to estimate the fruits offer at the studied forest. In San Juan del Carare like in other previous studies the red howler monkeys expend the majority of their day in a routinely rest (62,25 %), followed by nutrition and mobility. Social activities are developed in a minimal proportion especially during the resting time. The present research, found that the vocal emissions of the studied primates, does not have a clear pattern, as found in other populations (at the begging of morning and in the end of the afternoon) but they do in an irregular and constant way during the whole day. In terms of their diet, the primates nutrition was mainly represented by new leafs, fruits as special case in the time of high offer in the forest, as complements, flowers, wood, bark and soil termite mounds. They had smaller living areas (around 0.84 ha and 3.64 ha) than the reported for this specie, all the primates groups showed overlapping with one or more of the other groups. The population studied made a considerable number of seeds dispersion (36220 seeds), of 17 species of plants with a dispersion distance among 17.42 and 140.44 meters.ABSTRACT. Primates are essential elements in the preservation of tropical native forest; they are dispersers of a huge variety of plant?s seeds, these seeds are elementary to support the dynamics and the forest succession. Today?s main threat is the missing of primates habitat, in this way, researches have to been developed in fragmented areas, by these means is possible to generate knowledge about primates response to that studied environment, the result of this work is a managing plan that allows to the conservation of the individuals under consideration. The present study is focused in the analysis of the ?monos aulladores rojos? (Alouatta seniculus) basic ecology, a fragment of the San Juan del Carare forest, Santander, Colombia. In this study were established activity patrons, diet, home range and the seed?s dispersal of six groups of ?monos aulladores rojos? red howler monkeys in the project's field of influence. The information data was collected in regular periods of time from January 2010 to November 2011, through a continuous following and under the animal focal method of study, that files registered all the behavioural and nutritional events. Among this study, was possible the collection of a very rich sampling of primate?s faeces used to evaluate the seeds dispersion. Twice a month, there was the revision of the phenology transects to estimate the fruits offer at the studied forest. In San Juan del Carare like in other previous studies the red howler monkeys expend the majority of their day in a routinely rest (62,25 %), followed by nutrition and mobility. Social activities are developed in a minimal proportion especially during the resting time. The present research, found that the vocal emissions of the studied primates, does not have a clear pattern, as found in other populations (at the begging of morning and in the end of the afternoon) but they do in an irregular and constant way during the whole day. In terms of their diet, the primates nutrition was mainly represented by new leafs, fruits as special case in the time of high offer in the forest, as complements, flowers, wood, bark and soil termite mounds. They had smaller living areas (around 0.84 ha and 3.64 ha) than the reported for this specie, all the primates groups showed overlapping with one or more of the other groups. The population studied made a considerable number of seeds dispersion (36220 seeds), of 17 species of plants with a dispersion distance among 17.42 and 140.44 meters.