Reliable data on the distribution and threats facing primate species are crucial to identifying priority sites for conservation and designing effective management plans. Boutourlini’s blue monkey (Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii) is a little-known arboreal primate endemic to the forests of western Ethiopia. This subspecies is categorized as Vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and the distribution of extant populations is largely unknown. To increase our knowledge of the spatial distribution and conservation status of Boutourlini’s blue monkey, we carried out intensive reconnaissance surveys from January 2010 to May 2011 across approximately 40% of its potential range and conducted interviews with local people at each of the survey locations. We carried out geospatial analyses and mapped the distribution of Boutourlini’s blue monkey localities with respect to elevation, protected area status, and changes in forest cover over time using ArcGIS 10.4.0. Through our surveys, we discovered 30 previously unknown Boutourlini’s blue monkey populations in three administrative regions of western Ethiopia (Amhara, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Regions). A total of 34 different groups were sighted and counted at the survey sites, averaging 14.7 members (range 8–23) per group. There are now 32 Boutourlini’s blue monkey populations of recently confirmed occurrence at altitudes ranging from 1039 to 2780 m asl, seven in forests of greater than 50 km2. Crop feeding by Boutourlini’s blue monkeys was reported by people at seven sites and confirmed through direct observation at three of these sites. None of the known extant populations of Boutourlini’s blue monkeys occur within a strictly protected area (e.g., national park) where exploitative human activities are outlawed. A complete reassessment of the distribution and conservation status of Boutourlini’s blue monkey will require further surveys across the remaining approximately 60% of its potential range.

中文翻译：

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埃塞俄比亚西部特有的易危亚种布图里尼蓝猴（Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii）的分布和保护现状

关于灵长类物种的分布和面临威胁的可靠数据对于确定优先保护地点和设计有效的管理计划至关重要。Boutourlini 的蓝猴 (Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii) 是一种鲜为人知的树栖灵长类动物，原产于埃塞俄比亚西部的森林。该亚种在国际自然保护联盟 (IUCN) 红色名录中被归类为易危物种，现存种群的分布在很大程度上是未知的。为了增加我们对布图里尼蓝猴的空间分布和保护状况的了解，我们从 2010 年 1 月到 2011 年 5 月对其潜在范围的大约 40% 进行了密集的侦察调查，并在每个调查地点对当地人进行了采访。我们使用 ArcGIS 10.4.0 进行了地理空间分析，并根据海拔、保护区状态和森林覆盖随时间的变化绘制了布图里尼蓝猴地区的分布图。通过我们的调查，我们在埃塞俄比亚西部的三个行政区域（阿姆哈拉、奥罗米亚和南部民族、民族和人民地区）发现了 30 个以前未知的布图里尼蓝猴种群。在调查地点共发现并统计了 34 个不同的群体，平均每个群体有 14.7 名成员（范围 8-23）。现在有 32 只布图里尼蓝猴种群，最近确认出现在海拔 1039 到 2780 米的海拔范围内，其中 7 只在大于 50 平方公里的森林中。七个地点的人们报告了布图里尼蓝猴的作物喂养，并通过在其中三个地点的直接观察得到证实。已知现存的 Boutourlini 蓝猴种群都没有出现在禁止剥削性人类活动的严格保护区（例如国家公园）内。对布图里尼蓝猴的分布和保护状况的全面重新评估需要对其剩余约 60% 的潜在范围进行进一步调查。