Aotus trivirgatus (Owl Monkey or Night Monkey) 
Utilization 
The owl monkey, being the only suitable model currently known for human 
malaria chemotherapy and immunology studies, is considered essential 
within these areas of research. Investigators of viral oncology are 
also finding this animal to be of increasing value. The owl monkey 
holds special importance in vision research because of its unique eye 
structure. 
Foreign Sources 
This monkey is widely distributed throughout Central and South America. 
The northern Colombian subspecies of owl monkeys, urgently needed for 
human malaria research, have been very difficult to obtain because of 
dwindling populations resulting from habitat destruction. Accordingly, 
the Colombian government, as well as other source countries, has tightened 
control over the trapping and exportation of this and other subspecies. 
Small numbers of Aotus are still available through normal commercial 
channels although the magnitude and predictability of supplies remain 
uncertain at best. 
Production in United States 
There are a few institutional breeding colonies of owl monkeys, but 
production is extremely small. Experience, to date, in the breeding of 
this primate is also very limited, and the degree of success correspondingly 
is poor. The animal is very fragile, and the techniques have not yet 
been developed for efficient breeding in captivity. Of all the breeding 
performed in the United States, there are no known general-purpose 
production colonies in operation, so researchers requiring this animal 
must either procure it from commercial channels or breed the animal 
themselves. 
Recommendations 
Since this animal is available in limited numbers through commercial 
channels and some additional numbers may be made available through 
international cooperative programs, major efforts to increase domestic 
production are not warranted. However, since this animal is considered 
essential for some purposes, an effort to increase our ability to breed 
it in captivity is necessary, in case it is unavailable from the wild. 
It is, therefore, recommended that a general-purpose production colony 
be established which would be capable of producing at least 150 animals 
per year. This animal should then be made available to the research 
community in general for appropriate study. The northern Colombia 
subspecies should be given preference when establishing this colony. 
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