Doc Black-faced Lion Tamarin

I’m going to outline below all the planning for the development of a documentary about the Black-faced Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus caissara) and the region known as Lagamar.

I’ve been visiting the region for many years and I’ve always thought the story of the tamarin and the region was a great subject for a documentary. I’ve worked as a Widlife Filmmaker for many years, but after the pandemic I also started a tourism agency specializing in wildlife observation. I founded the agency to help the company’s finances, taking advantage of the knowledge I’ve acquired over the years in search of images of these animals. Since 2021, I’ve been regularly taking tourists to the region to photograph the Tamarin and other species, so I’ve acquired a lot of knowledge about the place and the iconic species that live there. I now even know the territory of a family of marmosets well, which makes the job a little easier, because as I said before, it’s not an easy animal to find.

Link to my travel agency’s website

I’m going to highlight the main topics of the documentary again, with some images and videos:

Black-faced Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus caissara)

-Talking about its natural history, there has been a lot of controversy about whether or not it is a species or subspecies of the black lion tamarin, but today it is considered a species. Its cousin the black lion tamarin lives inland in drier, semi-deciduous forests.

Below are some videos of the Black Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) that I made for a previous job. These images were recorded with a Black Magic Production Camera in 4K Raw.

-This species is extremely specialized, it lives in a very small area in flat areas at sea level (they don’t climb mountains), it’s a coastal forest that has very poor soil, smaller trees and waterlogged soil covered in bromeliads.

-It was only described to science in 1990, a very interesting fact, as its area of occurrence lies between two Brazilian metropolises, São Paulo and Curitiba, and shows how much we still have to explore on our planet.

-Canal do Varadouro is an artificial canal that began to be opened by coastal residents in 1820, using shovels and hoes. The opening was a necessity for the communities of Paranaguá (PR) and Cananéia (SP) – residents and merchants needed this access route for the transportation of products and passengers. At the beginning of the 1950s, some governmental works took place, giving the passage its final shape and it was inaugurated in 1952. The Varadouro Canal is approximately six kilometers long and its opening gave rise to Superagui Island, which belongs to the municipality of Guaraqueçaba and separated the territory of the Micos. Today, there is one population on the mainland and another on Superagui Island.

-About 8 years ago, an extra tropical cyclone devastated part of the continental forest where the marmosets live, showing how fragile this species is, due to its small area of occurrence. These extra tropical cyclones have become more frequent in the south of the country in recent years due to climate change. I intend to take some drone images showing the destruction, as the forest there will take many years to fully recover.

-Its population is estimated at only 300 individuals, making it one of the most endangered primate species on the planet.

-To show the research and conservation work that the NGO SPVS (Sociedade de Pesquisa em Vida Selvagem e Educação Ambiental) is doing with marmosets there.

Lagamar Region

The Lagamar is a system formed by the estuaries of “countless rivers, streams and creeks, flowing from the surrounding mountains (covered in preserved forests) to the sea, creating an immense tangle of channels and brackish water lagoons. The salt water from the sea cyclically penetrates the continent with the tides, up to a distance of 30 km from the sea, and mixes with the fresh water from the aforementioned waterways. This mixture creates the ideal environment for many marine species to breed, as it not only contains the nutrients they need, but is also protected from the turbulence of the open sea. The intricate roots of the mangroves, which cover a large part of the Lagamar, are a veritable nursery for the young of countless types of aquatic animals. It’s no wonder that this complex is considered one of the largest breeding grounds for marine species in the South Atlantic.

The Lagamar is part of the Ribeira de Iguape River Basin, which includes the Iguape and Cananéia Estuarine Complexes (SP) and the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex (PR). The region stands out for its beautiful natural terrestrial and marine-coastal landscapes, including mountains, estuaries, islands and beaches with lowland and hillside forests, sandbanks, dunes and mangroves, which are home to many species of fauna and flora. The Lagamar is not just made up of natural riches; this region is still home to caiçara populations who keep alive their local culture and centuries-old traditional knowledge, such as fandango and artisanal fishing.

Considered an “extremely high” priority for conservation measures, the Lagamar region includes one of the five least degraded and most productive estuaries in the world, as well as being part of the “Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve” decreed by UNESCO.

-The region has a strong artisanal fishing culture, and the locals are known as caiçaras. One of the local traditions is the artisanal fishing of cerco-fixo, a true tradition passed down from generation to generation. Produced by hand by the caiçaras, it provides a livelihood for many families in Lagamar.

-In the region there are also many other topics that we can explore, such as indigenous and quilombola communities and also archaeological sites of older Indians. There are many structures known as “Sambaquis”, which are burial urns built with shells by the oldest Indians. Of course, these are secondary themes that may not fit into the narrative of this documentary.

-On the edge of the beaches there is a type of undergrowth known as restinga, made up of orchids and many other flowers. This vegetation has practically disappeared from most Brazilian beaches due to real estate speculation.

Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber)

-This is one of the main topics of the documentary and, as I said before, I’m able to follow the entire life cycle of the species. I intend to film the flocks feeding in the local mangroves, the mating and the rearing of the young, showing their entire development. There are other species in the nest I plan to work with and the Broad-Snouted Caiman (Caiman latirostris) stay in the lagoon below waiting for any young to fall out of the nest. This is a scene I intend to do, but it will depend a little on luck – dedication will not be lacking. The location of the species’ nest has great access, it’s opposite my main base for developing the documentary, so I believe it will generate great images for the documentary.

Red-tailed Parrot (Amazona brasiliensis)

-The Red-tailed Parrot (Amazona brasiliensis) is a species endemic to the Lagamar region. The species is affected by the destruction of its habitat and the illegal capture of its chicks, and has been on the National List of Endangered Species in the Vulnerable category for many years, according to the Ministry of the Environment (MMA).

-The species’ flocks always sleep in the same place, creating quite a spectacle when they leave in the morning to feed and return at the end of the day to sleep. One of the species’ main roosts is Pinheirinho Island, which concentrates a large part of the species’ population in the wild.

Marine tucuxi (Sotalia guianensis)

-With an estimated population of more than 800 dolphins living in the region, it is one of the largest populations of the species on the planet. It’s easy to see them hunting in groups in the region’s mangroves.

Other themes that we may or may not use in the documentary

-It is one of the largest mangrove regions on the planet, so it has a lot of mangrove fauna, such as crustaceans, caimans and other birds.

-The coastal vegetation, which includes caxetal forests, rocky shores and restinga shrub vegetation, has many endemic species of anuran amphibians, which in the breeding season gather by the hundreds around temporary lagoons, creating a real spectacle.

-Figueira Island – An oceanic island 8km from Barra do Ararapira, my main base for the documentary. The island is a great breeding ground for seabirds.