Road ecology blog: Black-pencilled marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) looking for traffic before crossing at grade, right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

The canopy crossing was installed in 2014 in response to one or more marmosets being killed by vehicles at this location. While the canopy bridge is quite simple (canvas strap) it is being used by some of the marmosets. However, some animals in the group choose to cross at grade rather than over the canopy crossing. Before they cross the street they stop, sit up, and look both ways (see images below). They take their time doing this. This suggests that the marmosets are aware of the dangers associated with crossing the road and try to choose a moment when no vehicles are passing by.

Having observed the animals for a number of months I am pretty sure at least one of the individuals crosses both at grade and across the canopy crossing. So, when a group of marmosets approaches the road at this location, some of the animals use the canopy crossing while others choose to cross at grade. In addition, during different crossing attempts, individual animals sometimes use the canopy crossing but at other times the same individual chooses to cross at grade.

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Images below: Black-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) stops on the curb and looks both ways before running across the road, right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Black-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) looking for traffic before crossing at grade right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, BrazilBlack-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) looking for traffic before crossing at grade right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil Black-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) looking for traffic before crossing at grade right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, BrazilBlack-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) looking for traffic before crossing at grade right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil Black-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) looking for traffic before crossing at grade right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, BrazilBlack-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) looking for traffic before crossing at grade right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil Black-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) looking for traffic before crossing at grade right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, BrazilBlack-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) looking for traffic before crossing at grade right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Image below: Black-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) runs across the road, right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Black-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) running across street under canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, BrazilBlack-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) running across street under canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Image below: Black-pencilled marmoset with young on back (Callithrix penicillata) runs across the road, right under the canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil

Black-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) with baby running across street right under canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, BrazilBlack-pencilled marmoset (Callithrix penicillata) with baby running across street right under canopy crossing, ESALQ campus, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil