Accurate and precise population estimates form the basis of conservation action but are lacking for many arboreal species due to the high costs and difficulty in surveying these species. Recently, researchers have started to use drones to obtain data on animal distribution and density. In this study, we compared ground and drone counts for spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) at their sleeping sites using a custom-built drone fitted with a thermal infrared (TIR) camera. We demonstrated that a drone with a TIR camera can be successfully employed to determine the presence and count the number of spider monkeys in a forested area. Using a concordance analysis, we found high agreement between ground and drone counts for small monkey subgroups (10 individuals), with drone counts being higher than the corresponding ground counts in 83% of surveys. We could identify additional individuals from TIR drone footage due to a greater area covered compared to ground surveys. We recommend using TIR drones for surveys of spider monkey sleeping sites and discuss current challenges to implementation.

Conservation funding is currently limited; cost‐effective conservation solutions are essential. We suggest that the thousands of field stations worldwide can play key roles at the frontline of biodiversity conservation and have high intrinsic value. We assessed field stations’ conservation return on investment and explored the impact of COVID‐19. We surveyed leaders of field stations across tropical regions that host primate research; 157 field stations in 56 countries responded. Respondents reported improved habitat quality and reduced hunting rates at over 80% of field stations and lower operational costs per km ² than protected areas, yet half of those surveyed have less funding now than in 2019. Spatial analyses support field station presence as reducing deforestation. These “earth observatories” provide a high return on investment; we advocate for increased support of field station programs and for governments to support their vital conservation efforts by investing accordingly.

Geoffroy’s spider monkeys, an endangered, fast-moving arboreal primate species with a large home range and a high degree of fission–fusion dynamics, are challenging to survey in their natural habitats. Our objective was to evaluate how different flight parameters affect the detectability of spider monkeys in videos recorded by a drone equipped with a thermal infrared camera and examine the level of agreement between coders. We used generalized linear mixed models to evaluate the impact of flight speed (2, 4, 6 m/s), flight height (40, 50 m above ground level), and camera angle (−45°, −90°) on spider monkey counts in a closed-canopy forest in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Our results indicate that none of the three flight parameters affected the number of detected spider monkeys. Agreement between coders was “substantial” (Fleiss’ kappa coefficient = 0.61–0.80) in most cases for high thermal-contrast zones. Our study contributes to the development of standardized flight protocols, which are essential to obtain accurate data on the presence and abundance of wild populations. Based on our results, we recommend performing drone surveys for spider monkeys and other medium-sized arboreal mammals with a small commercial drone at a 4 m/s speed, 15 m above canopy height, and with a −90° camera angle. However, these recommendations may vary depending on the size and noise level produced by the drone model.

The fast movement and high degree of fission-fusion dynamics of spider monkeys (Ateles spp.) make them notoriously difficult to survey. We examined which aspects of survey design affect spider monkey sightings along transects in a group of individually recognized spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) in Punta Laguna, Yucatan, Mexico. We calculated the number of monkeys and subgroups sighted per transect walk. Using generalized linear models, we found no effect of the number of observers, transect type (new vs. existing), walking speed, or time of day on individual monkey counts or subgroup counts. Recounting of individuals was relatively rare and occurred when transects were walked relatively slowly. We missed more young than adult monkeys. The group composition based on survey data was similar to the known group composition. Based on our findings we recommend that surveys performed on relatively flat terrain be conducted at speeds similar to or faster than the moving speed of spider monkeys to minimize recounting of individuals and that young:adult female ratios based on survey data be interpreted as conservative indicators of population health. The novel methods presented to determine sources of bias in population estimates are applicable to a wide range of primates that are difficult to survey.