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Ibrahim H, Bekele A, Fashing PJ, Nguyen N, Yazezew D, Moges A, Venkataraman VV, Mekonnen A. Feeding ecology of a highland population of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas) at Borena-Sayint National Park, northern Ethiopia. Primates 2023; 64:513-526. [PMID: 37369925 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-023-01077-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Studying the diet and feeding behavior of primates is essential to understanding their ecology and designing effective conservation plans. Despite decades of study on the hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas) in lowland habitats, little is known about the feeding ecology of this species in highland ecosystems. To address this empirical gap, we tracked temporal changes in vegetation abundance and their relation to the dietary choices of hamadryas baboons in highland habitat at Borena-Sayint National Park (BSNP) in northern Ethiopia. We performed behavioral scan sampling on a focal study band of 21-37 hamadryas baboons over a 12-month period. We found that mature and young leaves were the most abundant plant parts throughout the year, while fruits and flowers were the least abundant, with significant seasonal variation that followed the bimodal pattern of rainfall characteristic of the Ethiopian highlands ecosystem. The annual diet of hamadryas baboons at BSNP consisted mostly of fruits (32.0%) and graminoid blades (21.2%), and included 52 food species across 22 families of plants and three families of animals. Food raided from nearby farms accounted for 8.8% of their diet. The availability of fruits and flowers was positively correlated with their consumption, suggesting that these are preferred foods, whereas graminoid blades, and other leaves, appeared to be less preferred foods. The feeding ecology of hamadryas baboons at BSNP differs considerably from that of lowland populations. The well-studied lowland hamadryas baboons in Awash National Park obtain much of their diet from Acacia species and palm fruit, whereas those at BSNP, where Acacia trees are rare and palms are absent, relied on Olinia rochetiana and Rosa abyssinica for a combined 27% of their annual diet. The reliance of hamadryas baboons at BSNP on cultivated crops for nearly one-tenth of their diet leads to conflict with humans and warrants more detailed study so that this issue can be addressed in conservation plans for the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hussein Ibrahim
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Wollo University, P.O. Box 1145, Dessie, Ethiopia.
| | - Afework Bekele
- Department of Zoological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Peter J Fashing
- Division of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nga Nguyen
- Division of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dereje Yazezew
- Department of Biology, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Debre Berhan University, P.O. Box 445, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Amera Moges
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.O. Box 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Vivek V Venkataraman
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Addisu Mekonnen
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
- Department of Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Lacroux C, Robira B, Kane-Maguire N, Guma N, Krief S. Between forest and croplands: Nocturnal behavior in wild chimpanzees of Sebitoli, Kibale National Park, Uganda. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0268132. [PMID: 35522693 PMCID: PMC9075648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Some animal species have been presumed to be purely diurnal. Yet, they show flexibility in their activity rhythm, and can occasionally be active at night. Recently, it has been suggested that chimpanzees may rarely engage in nocturnal activities in savannah forests, in contrast to the frequent nocturnal feeding of crops observed at Sebitoli, Kibale National Park, Uganda. Here we thus aimed to explore the factors that might trigger such intense nocturnal activity (e.g. harsher weather conditions during daytime, low wild food availability or higher diurnal foraging risk) in this area. We used camera-traps set over 18 km2 operating for 15 months. We report activities and group composition from records obtained either within the forest or at the forest interface with maize fields, the unique crop consumed. Maize is an attractive and accessible food source, although actively guarded by farmers, particularly during daytime. Out of the 19 156 clips collected, 1808 recorded chimpanzees. Of these, night recordings accounted for 3.3% of forest location clips, compared to 41.8% in the maize fields. Most nocturnal clips were obtained after hot days, and most often during maize season for field clips. At night within the forest, chimpanzees were travelling around twilight hours, while when at the border of the fields they were foraging on crops mostly after twilight and in smaller parties. These results suggest that chimpanzees change their activity rhythm to access cultivated resources when human presence and surveillance is lower. This survey provides evidence of behavioral plasticity in chimpanzees in response to neighboring human farming activities, and emphasizes the urgent need to work with local communities to mitigate human-wildlife conflict related to crop-feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Lacroux
- UMR 7206 CNRS/MNHN/P7, Eco-anthropologie, Hommes et Environnements, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Musée de l’Homme, Paris, France
- Sebitoli Chimpanzee Project, Great Ape Conservation Project, Fort Portal, Uganda
- UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Benjamin Robira
- UMR 7206 CNRS/MNHN/P7, Eco-anthropologie, Hommes et Environnements, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Musée de l’Homme, Paris, France
- CEFE, CNRS, Université Montpellier, Université Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Nicole Kane-Maguire
- Sebitoli Chimpanzee Project, Great Ape Conservation Project, Fort Portal, Uganda
| | | | - Sabrina Krief
- UMR 7206 CNRS/MNHN/P7, Eco-anthropologie, Hommes et Environnements, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Musée de l’Homme, Paris, France
- Sebitoli Chimpanzee Project, Great Ape Conservation Project, Fort Portal, Uganda
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Rundus A, Chancellor R, Nyandwi S, Johnston A. Factors Influencing Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Crop Foraging in Farmland Outside of Gishwati Forest, Rwanda. INT J PRIMATOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-022-00291-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Anand S, Radhakrishna S. Collective Movement Decision-making in Primates in Crop-raiding Contexts. Behav Processes 2022; 196:104604. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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Muylaert RL, Davidson B, Ngabirano A, Kalema-Zikusoka G, MacGregor H, Lloyd-Smith JO, Fayaz A, Knox MA, Hayman DTS. Community health and human-animal contacts on the edges of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254467. [PMID: 34818325 PMCID: PMC8612581 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cross-species transmission of pathogens is intimately linked to human and environmental health. With limited healthcare and challenging living conditions, people living in poverty may be particularly susceptible to endemic and emerging diseases. Similarly, wildlife is impacted by human influences, including pathogen sharing, especially for species in close contact with people and domesticated animals. Here we investigate human and animal contacts and human health in a community living around the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Uganda. We used contact and health survey data to identify opportunities for cross-species pathogen transmission, focusing mostly on people and the endangered mountain gorilla. We conducted a survey with background questions and self-reported diaries to investigate 100 participants' health, such as symptoms and behaviours, and contact patterns, including direct contacts and sightings over a week. Contacts were revealed through networks, including humans, domestic, peri-domestic, and wild animal groups for 1) contacts seen in the week of background questionnaire completion, and 2) contacts seen during the diary week. Participants frequently felt unwell during the study, reporting from one to 10 disease symptoms at different intensity levels, with severe symptoms comprising 6.4% of the diary records and tiredness and headaches the most common symptoms. After human-human contacts, direct contact with livestock and peri-domestic animals were the most common. The contact networks were moderately connected and revealed a preference in contacts within the same taxon and within their taxa groups. Sightings of wildlife were much more common than touching. However, despite contact with wildlife being the rarest of all contact types, one direct contact with a gorilla with a timeline including concerning participant health symptoms was reported. When considering all interaction types, gorillas mostly exhibited intra-species contact, but were found to interact with five other species, including people and domestic animals. Our findings reveal a local human population with recurrent symptoms of illness in a location with intense exposure to factors that can increase pathogen transmission, such as direct contact with domestic and wild animals and proximity among animal species. Despite significant biases and study limitations, the information generated here can guide future studies, such as models for disease spread and One Health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata L. Muylaert
- Molecular Epidemiology and Public Health Laboratory, Hopkirk Research Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Ben Davidson
- Molecular Epidemiology and Public Health Laboratory, Hopkirk Research Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Alex Ngabirano
- Conservation Through Public Health, Uring Crescent, Entebbe, Uganda
- Bwindi Development Network, Buhoma, Kanungu, Uganda
| | | | - Hayley MacGregor
- Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex and STEPS, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - James O. Lloyd-Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ahmed Fayaz
- Molecular Epidemiology and Public Health Laboratory, Hopkirk Research Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Matthew A. Knox
- Molecular Epidemiology and Public Health Laboratory, Hopkirk Research Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - David T. S. Hayman
- Molecular Epidemiology and Public Health Laboratory, Hopkirk Research Institute, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Kifle Z. Human-olive baboon (Papio anubis) conflict in the human-modified landscape, Wollo, Ethiopia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Kifle Z, Bekele A. Feeding ecology and diet of the southern geladas ( Theropithecus gelada obscurus) in human-modified landscape, Wollo, Ethiopia. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11373-11386. [PMID: 34429926 PMCID: PMC8366867 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying the dietary flexibility of primates that live in human-modified environments is crucial for understanding their ecological adaptations as well as developing management and conservation plans. Southern gelada (Theropithecus gelada obscurus) is an endemic little-known subspecies of gelada that inhabits human-modified landscapes in the northern central highlands of Ethiopia. During an 18-month period, we conducted this intensive study in an unprotected area of a human-modified landscape at Kosheme in Wollo to investigate the feeding ecology of southern geladas and their dietary responses to seasonal variations. We quantified the monthly and seasonal diet data from a band of southern geladas using instantaneous scan sampling method at 15-min intervals, and green grass phenology and availability using visual inspection from the randomly selected permanent plots. The overall average diet of southern geladas at Kosheme constituted grass blades 55.4%, grass undergrounds 13.2%, grass bulbs 5.6%, grass seeds 5.4%, herb leaves 4.0, fruits 7.3%, and cereal crops 5.6%. Grass blade consumption increased with increasing green grass availability, while underground food consumption increased with decreasing green grass availability, and vice versa. Southern geladas spent significantly more time feeding on the grass blades and herb leaves and significantly less time on bulbs during the wet season than the dry season. Underground grass items (rhizomes and corms) were not consumed during the wet season, but made up 22.3% of the dry season diet. Thus, although grass blades are staple diet items for geladas, underground diet items are important "fallback foods" at Kosheme. Our result shows insights into the dietary flexibility southern geladas adopt to cope with human-modified landscapes of the north-central Ethiopian Highlands. Thus, the study contributes to a better understanding of how changing environments shape primate ecology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zewdu Kifle
- Department of BiologyBahir Dar UniversityBahir DarEthiopia
- Department of Zoological SciencesAddis Ababa UniversityAddis AbabaEthiopia
| | - Afework Bekele
- Department of Zoological SciencesAddis Ababa UniversityAddis AbabaEthiopia
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Roadside monkeys: anthropogenic effects on moor macaque (Macaca maura) ranging behavior in Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Primates 2021; 62:477-489. [PMID: 33751334 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00899-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of research focuses on how anthropogenic factors affect the behavior and ecology of primates and their ecosystems. Infrastructural development, such as roads, is an increasingly pervasive anthropogenic impact that destroys primate habitat, affects the distribution and dispersal of primates, and facilitates human-primate interactions. At our field site in Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia, a major road bisects the habitat of the endangered moor macaque (Macaca maura). Beginning in 2015, we observed a behavioral shift by our main study group: they began spending more time along the road foraging in trash pits and waiting for provisions from vehicles. Our objective in this study was to examine how access to anthropogenic foods has affected the group's ranging behavior by comparing ranging data collected before (2010-2011) and after the shift (2016-2017). In contrast to what we expected, home ranges were significantly larger and daily travel distance was significantly longer after the shift compared to before. As predicted, mean distance to the road decreased after the shift. These results likely reflect the irregular and spatially dispersed nature of provisioning at this site. The macaques appear to be attracted to the road because it presents opportunities to obtain palatable and energy-dense foods. Our results indicate that moor macaques are able to flexibly adjust their ranging behavior in response to anthropogenic impacts. However, given the risks of being in proximity to roads and humans, management of this emerging human-macaque interface is needed.
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Amusa C, Rothman J, Odongo S, Matovu H, Ssebugere P, Baranga D, Sillanpää M. The endangered African Great Ape: Pesticide residues in soil and plants consumed by Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei) in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, East Africa. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 758:143692. [PMID: 33272601 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Bwindi Impenetrable National Park situated southwest of Uganda is a biodiversity hotspot that is home to about half of the world's endangered mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei). Given its ecological significance and mounting pressures from agricultural activities such as tea growing, continuous monitoring of the levels of chemical toxins like pesticides in the park and surrounding areas is needed for effective conservation strategies. Furthermore, persistent organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) like DDT were used in agricultural gardens and indoor spraying in Kanungu district between the 1950s and 80s. The focus of this study was to explore the possible exposure of mountain gorillas to OCPs and cypermethrin used by the farmers in the areas near the park. Data from our interviews revealed that glyphosate is the most widely used pesticide by the farmers in areas surrounding the park, followed by cypermethrin, and mancozeb. Samples of leaves from plants consumed by mountain gorillas along the forest edges of the park and surficial soils (15-20 cm depths) were collected from three sites (Ruhija, Nkuringo and Buhoma) and analysed for the presence of cypermethrin and OCPs residues. Concentrations of total (∑) DDTs and ∑endosulfans were up to 0.34 and 9.89 mg/kg dry weight (d.w), respectively in soil samples. Concentrations of ∑DDTs and ∑endosulfans in samples of leaves ranged from 0.67 to 1.38 mg/kg d.w (mean = 1.07 mg/kg d.w) and 0.9 to 2.71 mg/kg d.w (mean = 1.68 mg/kg d.w), respectively. Mean concentration of ∑DDTs in leaves exceeded the European pharmacopeia and United States pharmacopeia recommended maximum residue limit values for DDTs in medicinal plants (1.0 mg/kg). In addition, calculated hazard indices for silverbacks (36.35), females (57.54) and juveniles (77.04) suggested potential health risks to the mountain gorillas. o,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDT ratios (0.5-0.63) in samples of leaves confirmed recent input of dicofol-DDT type in Bwindi rainforest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chemonges Amusa
- Department of Chemistry, Makerere University, P. O Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Uganda Wildlife Authority and Primate Conservation, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Jessica Rothman
- Department of Anthropology, and New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Silver Odongo
- Department of Chemistry, Makerere University, P. O Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Henry Matovu
- Department of Chemistry, Makerere University, P. O Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda; Department of Chemistry, Gulu University, P. O Box 166, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Patrick Ssebugere
- Department of Chemistry, Makerere University, P. O Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Deborah Baranga
- Department of Zoology, Makerere University, P. O Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Mika Sillanpää
- Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang 550000, Viet Nam; Faculty of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Duy Tan University, Da Nang 550000, Viet Nam; Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Mining, Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering, University of Johannesburg, P. O. Box 17011, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa
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Fehlmann G, O'riain MJ, FÜrtbauer I, King AJ. Behavioral Causes, Ecological Consequences, and Management Challenges Associated with Wildlife Foraging in Human-Modified Landscapes. Bioscience 2021; 71:40-54. [PMID: 33442328 PMCID: PMC7791362 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaa129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans have altered up to half of the world's land surface. Wildlife living within or close to these human-modified landscapes are presented with opportunities and risks associated with feeding on human-derived foods (e.g., agricultural crops and food waste). Understanding whether and how wildlife adapts to these landscapes is a major challenge, with thousands of studies published on the topic over the past 10 years. In the present article, we build on established theoretical frameworks to understand the behavioral causes of crop and urban foraging by wildlife. We then develop and extend this framework to describe the multifaceted ecological consequences of crop and urban foraging for the individuals and populations in which they arise, with emphasis on social species for which interactions with people are, on balance, negative (commonly referred to as raiding species). Finally, we discuss the management challenges faced by urban and rural land managers, businesses, and government organizations in mitigating human-wildlife conflicts and propose ways to improve the lives of both wildlife and humans living in human-modified landscapes and to promote coexistence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - M Justin O'riain
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife, Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ines FÜrtbauer
- Behavioural Ecology and Endocrinology Laboratory and Andrew King is an associate professor and head of the SHOAL group in the Department of Biosciences at Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J King
- Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior, Bodensee, Germany
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Walton BJ, Findlay LJ, Hill RA. Insights into short- and long-term crop-foraging strategies in a chacma baboon ( Papio ursinus) from GPS and accelerometer data. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:990-1001. [PMID: 33520181 PMCID: PMC7820140 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Crop-foraging by animals is a leading cause of human-wildlife "conflict" globally, affecting farmers and resulting in the death of many animals in retaliation, including primates. Despite significant research into crop-foraging by primates, relatively little is understood about the behavior and movements of primates in and around crop fields, largely due to the limitations of traditional observational methods. Crop-foraging by primates in large-scale agriculture has also received little attention. We used GPS and accelerometer bio-loggers, along with environmental data, to gain an understanding of the spatial and temporal patterns of activity for a female in a crop-foraging baboon group in and around commercial farms in South Africa over one year. Crop fields were avoided for most of the year, suggesting that fields are perceived as a high-risk habitat. When field visits did occur, this was generally when plant primary productivity was low, suggesting that crops were a "fallback food". All recorded field visits were at or before 15:00. Activity was significantly higher in crop fields than in the landscape in general, evidence that crop-foraging is an energetically costly strategy and that fields are perceived as a risky habitat. In contrast, activity was significantly lower within 100 m of the field edge than in the rest of the landscape, suggesting that baboons wait near the field edge to assess risks before crop-foraging. Together, this understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of crop-foraging can help to inform crop protection strategies and reduce conflict between humans and baboons in South Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J. Walton
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of DurhamDurhamUK
| | | | - Russell A. Hill
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of DurhamDurhamUK
- Primate & Predator ProjectLajuma Research CentreLouis Trichardt (Makhado)South Africa
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of VendaThohoyandouSouth Africa
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Robbins MM. Assessing attitudes towards gorilla conservation via employee interviews. Am J Primatol 2020; 83:e23191. [PMID: 32894603 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
To determine the effectiveness of conservation strategies, not only should we monitor biological variables, such as population size and levels of illegal activity, but also we should examine changes in attitudes and behavior of local community members. Here, I use semistructured interviews of employees at two field sites, in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda and Loango National Park, Gabon, to understand if their employment influenced their attitude towards gorillas and conservation and led to behavior change. In contrast to western views of gorillas as "gentle giants," staff viewed gorillas as dangerous animals before working for these projects. Overall, employment leads to viewing conservation and gorillas more positively, and in many cases, viewing the gorillas as kin. The most common value attributed to the gorillas was economic, yet intrinsic and non-use existence values were frequently mentioned. Loango staff, but not Bwindi staff, reported behavior change related to hunting and bushmeat consumption, which likely is related to bushmeat consumption being commonplace in Gabon but not in Uganda. The Bwindi staff seemed to have a more positive and broader outlook toward conservation than the Loango staff, possibly because they had more years of formal education, they worked with gorillas longer, there is more history of conservation activities in Bwindi, and/or they have been less directly affected by negative consequences of conservation (e.g., crop raiding). This study shows the importance of explaining that gorillas are not dangerous if not provoked and using their human-like characteristics as a means to change conservation values and interest of local communities, while concurrently recognizing that providing economic benefits and reducing negative effects of wildlife are a reality for conservation buy-in.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha M Robbins
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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Seiler N, Robbins MM. Using long-term ranging patterns to assess within-group and between-group competition in wild mountain gorillas. BMC Ecol 2020; 20:40. [PMID: 32677937 PMCID: PMC7367404 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-020-00306-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Competition within and between social groups determines access to resources and can be inferred from space use parameters that reflect depletion of food resources and competitive abilities of groups. Using location data from 1998 to 2017, we investigated within- and between-group competition in 12 groups of wild mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). As within-group feeding competition is expected to increase with group size, an increase in group size is predicted to lead to an increase in the size of annual home ranges and core areas, but to a decrease in fidelity (reuse of an area). Due to asymmetries in competitive abilities, larger groups are expected to have higher exclusivity (degree of non-shared space) of annual home ranges and core areas than smaller groups. Results We found evidence of within-group feeding competition based on a positive relationship between group size and both annual home range and core area size as well as a negative relationship between group size and core area fidelity. Additionally, fidelity of core areas was lower than of home ranges. Between-group competition was inferred from a trend for groups with more members and more males to have more exclusive home ranges and core areas. Lastly, annual core areas were largely mutually exclusive. Conclusions Our study suggests that non-territorial, group-living animals can have highly dynamic, long-term avoidance-based spacing patterns, both temporally and spatially, to maintain annual core area exclusivity among groups while concurrently shifting these areas annually within overlapping home ranges to avoid resource depletion. Despite ranging in larger home ranges and core areas, larger groups were able to maintain more exclusive ranges than smaller groups, suggesting a competitive advantage for larger groups in between-group competition in a non-territorial species. Together, these findings contribute to understanding how social animals make behavioral adjustments to mitigate the effects of intraspecific competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Seiler
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Martha M Robbins
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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Seiler N, Robbins MM. Ecological correlates of space use patterns in wild western lowland gorillas. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23168. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Seiler
- Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
| | - Martha M. Robbins
- Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
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15
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Analyzing the popularity of YouTube videos that violate mountain gorilla tourism regulations. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232085. [PMID: 32437370 PMCID: PMC7241773 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although ecotourism is expected to be compatible with conservation, it often imposes negative effects on wildlife. The ecotourism of endangered mountain gorillas has attracted many tourists and functioned as a key component of their conservation. There might be expectations on the part of tourists to observe or interact with gorillas in close proximity and such expectations may have been engendered by the contents of social media in this Information Age. However, the risk of disease transmission between humans and gorillas is a large concern and it is important to maintain a certain distance while observing gorillas to minimize risk. We conducted a content analysis and described the general characteristics of 282 YouTube videos related to mountain gorilla tourism. Humans and gorillas were observed simultaneously in 70% of the videos, and physical contact or close proximity within arm's reach were identified in 40%. To explore the factors affecting the number of views and likes that these videos received, we ran generalized linear mixed models and performed AIC model selection with 206 videos in which humans and gorillas were observed simultaneously. Videos obtained more views and likes when the thumbnail photos included humans and gorillas together, while videos with thumbnail photos of only gorillas did not obtain more views and likes compared with those that included no gorillas. Moreover, videos obtained more views and likes in cases where physical contact or close proximity within arm's reach with gorillas were clearly observed, compared with those that did not clearly include close human-gorilla interaction. These results suggest that human-gorilla interaction and proximity with gorillas attract more public attention than gorillas shown by themselves. Our study highlights the importance of further investigation on the direct link between such contents that violate tourism regulations and the conflicting situation.
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Blanco J, Bellón B, Fabricius C, de O Roque F, Pays O, Laurent F, Fritz H, Renaud PC. Interface processes between protected and unprotected areas: A global review and ways forward. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:1138-1154. [PMID: 31597213 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Land-use changes and the expansion of protected areas (PAs) have amplified the interaction between protected and unprotected areas worldwide. In this context, 'interface processes' (human-nature and cross-boundary interactions inside and around PAs) have become central to issues around the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. This scientific literature review aimed to explore current knowledge and research gaps on interface processes regarding terrestrial PAs. At first, 3,515 references related to the topic were extracted through a standardized search on the Web of Science and analyzed with scientometric techniques. Next, a full-text analysis was conducted on a sample of 240 research papers. A keyword analysis revealed a wide diversity of research topics, from 'pure' ecology to sociopolitical research. We found a bias in the geographical distribution of research, with half the papers focusing on eight countries. Additionally, we found that the spatial extent of cross-boundary interactions was rarely assessed, preventing any clear delimitation of PA interactive zones. In the 240 research papers we scanned, we identified 403 processes that were studied. The ecological effects of PAs were well documented and appeared to be positive overall. In contrast, the effects of PAs on local communities were understudied and, according to the literature focusing on these, were very variable according to local contexts. Our findings highlight key research advances on interface processes, especially regarding the ecological outcomes of PAs, the influence of human activities on biodiversity, and PA governance issues. In contrast, main knowledge gaps concern the spatial extent of interactive zones, as well as the interactions between local people and conservation actions and how to promote synergies between them. While the review was limited to terrestrial PAs, its findings allow us to propose research priorities for tackling environmental and socioeconomic challenges in the face of a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Blanco
- UMR CNRS 6554 LETG-Angers, UFR Sciences, University of Angers, Angers, France
| | - Beatriz Bellón
- UMR CNRS 6554 LETG-Angers, UFR Sciences, University of Angers, Angers, France
| | - Christo Fabricius
- World Wildlife Fund, Washington, DC, USA
- Sustainability Research Unit, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Fabio de O Roque
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science (TESS) and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, Qld, Australia
| | - Olivier Pays
- UMR CNRS 6554 LETG-Angers, UFR Sciences, University of Angers, Angers, France
- LTSER France, CNRS, Hwange National Park, Dete, Zimbabwe
| | | | - Hervé Fritz
- Sustainability Research Unit, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
- LTSER France, CNRS, Hwange National Park, Dete, Zimbabwe
- UCBL, UMR CNRS 5558, University of Lyon, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Pierre-Cyril Renaud
- UMR CNRS 6554 LETG-Angers, UFR Sciences, University of Angers, Angers, France
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17
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Weber A, Kalema-Zikusoka G, Stevens NJ. Lack of Rule-Adherence During Mountain Gorilla Tourism Encounters in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda, Places Gorillas at Risk From Human Disease. Front Public Health 2020; 8:1. [PMID: 32117846 PMCID: PMC7031198 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) are an endangered primate species, with ~43% of the 1,063 individuals that remain on the planet today residing in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) in southwestern Uganda. These primates are at the heart of a growing tourism industry that has incentivized their continued protection, but close proximity between humans and gorillas during such encounters presents well-documented risks for disease transmission. The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) has developed rules to help protect the health of the gorillas, limiting each habituated gorilla group to a single 60 min visit each day by a group of no more than 8 tourists, and emphasizing that humans maintain a >7 m distance from gorillas at all times. A number of studies have documented that not all tour groups respect these rules. This project assesses rule-adherence during gorilla tourism encounters at BINP using both observational and survey-based data collected during the tourism high season between May and August, 2014. Observational data from 53 treks reveal that groups of 1-11 tourists engaged in gorilla viewing encounters between 46 and 98 min in duration. Although 96% of pre-trek briefings conducted by park rangers emphasized the need to maintain >7 m human-gorilla spacing, the 7 m distance rule was violated in over 98% (52 out of 53) of the tours examined in this study. Observational data were collected at 2 min intervals during gorilla-viewing encounters, documenting the nearest distance between any tourist and a gorilla (n = 1,604), of which 1,094 observations (68.2%) took place at a distance less than or equal to 7 m. Importantly, the 7 m rule was violated in visits to all of the gorilla groups habituated during the time of the study. In 224 observations (~14%, per 1,604 total), human-gorilla spacing was 3 m or less. Survey data (n = 243) revealed promising opportunities to improve tourist understanding of and adherence to park rules, with 73.6% of respondents indicating that they would be willing to utilize a precautionary measure of wearing a face-mask during encounters to protect gorilla health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Weber
- Applied Research and Evaluation, Division of Global Health Protection, Center for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA, United States
- Environmental Studies Program, Voinovich School for Leadership and Public Affairs, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
| | | | - Nancy J. Stevens
- Environmental Studies Program, Voinovich School for Leadership and Public Affairs, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States
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18
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Mekonnen A, Fashing PJ, Bekele A, Stenseth NC. Use of cultivated foods and matrix habitat by Bale monkeys in forest fragments: Assessing local human attitudes and perceptions. Am J Primatol 2019; 82:e23074. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Addisu Mekonnen
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis University of Oslo Oslo Norway
- Department of Zoological Sciences Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa Ethiopia
| | - Peter J. Fashing
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis University of Oslo Oslo Norway
- Department of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Program California State University Fullerton Fullerton California
| | - Afework Bekele
- Department of Zoological Sciences Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa Ethiopia
| | - Nils Chr. Stenseth
- Department of Biosciences, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis University of Oslo Oslo Norway
- Department of Zoological Sciences Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa Ethiopia
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Abstract
Crop foraging or crop raiding concerns wildlife foraging and farmers’ reactions and responses to it. To understand crop foraging and its value to wildlife or its implications for humans requires a cross-disciplinary approach that considers the behavior and ecology of wild animals engaging in this behavior; the types and levels of competition for resources between people and wildlife; people's perceptions of and attitudes toward wildlife, including animals that forage on crops; and discourse about animals and their behaviors and how these discourses can be used for expressing dissent and distress about other social conflicts. So, to understand and respond to conflicts about crop damage, we need to look beyond what people lose, i.e., crop loss and economic equivalence, and focus more on what people say about wildlife and why they say it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M. Hill
- Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, United Kingdom
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20
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Grueter CC, Wright E, Abavandimwe D, Ortmann S, Mudakikwa A, Musana A, Uwingeli P, Ndagijimana F, Vecellio V, Stoinski TS, Robbins MM. Going to extremes for sodium acquisition: use of community land and high-altitude areas by mountain gorillas Gorilla beringei
in Rwanda. Biotropica 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C. Grueter
- School of Human Sciences; The University of Western Australia; Perth WA 6009 Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology; School of Biological Sciences; The University of Western Australia; Perth WA 6009 Australia
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Edward Wright
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Didier Abavandimwe
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Sylvia Ortmann
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology; Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research; Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17 10315 Berlin Germany
| | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Tourism and Conservation; Rwanda Development Board (RDB); P.O. Box 6239 Kigali Rwanda
| | - Abel Musana
- Tourism and Conservation; Rwanda Development Board (RDB); P.O. Box 6239 Kigali Rwanda
| | - Propser Uwingeli
- Tourism and Conservation; Rwanda Development Board (RDB); P.O. Box 6239 Kigali Rwanda
| | - Felix Ndagijimana
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Veronica Vecellio
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Tara S. Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Martha M. Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
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21
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Seiler N, Boesch C, Stephens C, Ortmann S, Mundry R, Robbins MM. Social and ecological correlates of space use patterns in Bwindi mountain gorillas. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22754. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Seiler
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | | | - Colleen Stephens
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
| | - Sylvia Ortmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research; Berlin Germany
| | - Roger Mundry
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
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22
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Seiler N, Boesch C, Mundry R, Stephens C, Robbins MM. Space partitioning in wild, non-territorial mountain gorillas: the impact of food and neighbours. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:170720. [PMID: 29291062 PMCID: PMC5717636 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In territorial species, the distribution of neighbours and food abundance play a crucial role in space use patterns but less is known about how and when neighbours use shared areas in non-territorial species. We investigated space partitioning in 10 groups of wild, non-territorial mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). Using location data, we examined factors influencing daily movement decisions and calculated the per cent overlap of annual kernel home ranges and core areas among neighbours. We found that the probability that a group chose an area was positively influenced by both food availability and the previous use of that area by the group. Additionally, groups reduced their overall utilization of areas previously used by neighbouring groups. Lastly, groups used their core areas more exclusively than their home ranges. In sum, our results show that both foraging needs and avoidance of competition with neighbours determined the gorillas' daily movement decisions, which presumably lead to largely mutually exclusive core areas. Our research suggests that non-territorial species actively avoid neighbours to maintain core area exclusivity. Together, these findings contribute to our understanding of the costs and benefits of non-territoriality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Seiler
- Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roger Mundry
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Colleen Stephens
- Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martha M. Robbins
- Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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23
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Breuer T, Mavinga FB, Evans R, Lukas KE. Using video and theater to increase knowledge and change attitudes-Why are gorillas important to the world and to Congo? Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Breuer
- Wildlife Conservation Society; Global Conservation Program; Bronx New York
| | | | - Ron Evans
- Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden; Cincinnati Ohio
| | - Kristen E. Lukas
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo; Cleveland Ohio
- Department of Biology; Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland Ohio
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24
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Leeds A, Lukas KE, Kendall CJ, Slavin MA, Ross EA, Robbins MM, van Weeghel D, Bergl RA. Evaluating the effect of a year-long film focused environmental education program on Ugandan student knowledge of and attitudes toward great apes. Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 03/27/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Austin Leeds
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo; Cleveland Ohio
- Department of Biology; Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland Ohio
| | - Kristen E. Lukas
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo; Cleveland Ohio
- Department of Biology; Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland Ohio
| | | | - Michelle A. Slavin
- UNITE for the Environment; Fort Portal Uganda
- United States Peace Corps; Kingston Jamaica
| | | | - Martha M. Robbins
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
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26
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McLennan MR, Ganzhorn JU. Nutritional Characteristics of Wild and Cultivated Foods for Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) in Agricultural Landscapes. INT J PRIMATOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9940-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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27
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Estrada A, Garber PA, Rylands AB, Roos C, Fernandez-Duque E, Di Fiore A, Nekaris KAI, Nijman V, Heymann EW, Lambert JE, Rovero F, Barelli C, Setchell JM, Gillespie TR, Mittermeier RA, Arregoitia LV, de Guinea M, Gouveia S, Dobrovolski R, Shanee S, Shanee N, Boyle SA, Fuentes A, MacKinnon KC, Amato KR, Meyer ALS, Wich S, Sussman RW, Pan R, Kone I, Li B. Impending extinction crisis of the world's primates: Why primates matter. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1600946. [PMID: 28116351 PMCID: PMC5242557 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1600946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 580] [Impact Index Per Article: 82.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Nonhuman primates, our closest biological relatives, play important roles in the livelihoods, cultures, and religions of many societies and offer unique insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and the threat of emerging diseases. They are an essential component of tropical biodiversity, contributing to forest regeneration and ecosystem health. Current information shows the existence of 504 species in 79 genera distributed in the Neotropics, mainland Africa, Madagascar, and Asia. Alarmingly, ~60% of primate species are now threatened with extinction and ~75% have declining populations. This situation is the result of escalating anthropogenic pressures on primates and their habitats-mainly global and local market demands, leading to extensive habitat loss through the expansion of industrial agriculture, large-scale cattle ranching, logging, oil and gas drilling, mining, dam building, and the construction of new road networks in primate range regions. Other important drivers are increased bushmeat hunting and the illegal trade of primates as pets and primate body parts, along with emerging threats, such as climate change and anthroponotic diseases. Often, these pressures act in synergy, exacerbating primate population declines. Given that primate range regions overlap extensively with a large, and rapidly growing, human population characterized by high levels of poverty, global attention is needed immediately to reverse the looming risk of primate extinctions and to attend to local human needs in sustainable ways. Raising global scientific and public awareness of the plight of the world's primates and the costs of their loss to ecosystem health and human society is imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Estrada
- Institute of Biology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, CP 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Paul A. Garber
- Department of Anthropology, Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Anthony B. Rylands
- Conservation International, 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22202, USA
| | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates and Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78705, USA
| | | | - Vincent Nijman
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, U.K
| | - Eckhard W. Heymann
- Abteilung Verhaltensökologie und Soziobiologie, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Kellnerweg 4, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joanna E. Lambert
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado at Boulder, 1350 Pleasant Street UCB 233, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Francesco Rovero
- Tropical Biodiversity Section, MUSE—Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122 Trento, Italy
| | - Claudia Barelli
- Tropical Biodiversity Section, MUSE—Museo delle Scienze, Corso del Lavoro e della Scienza 3, 38122 Trento, Italy
| | - Joanna M. Setchell
- Department of Anthropology, and Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution Research Centre, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K
| | - Thomas R. Gillespie
- Departments of Environmental Sciences and Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 400 Dowman Drive, Math and Science Center, Suite E510, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | | | | | - Miguel de Guinea
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, U.K
| | - Sidney Gouveia
- Department of Ecology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE 49100-000, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Dobrovolski
- Department of Zoology, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, BA 40170-290, Brazil
| | - Sam Shanee
- Neotropical Primate Conservation, 23 Portland Road, Manchester M32 0PH, U.K
- Asociación Neotropical Primate Conservation Perú, 1187 Avenida Belaunde, La Esperanza, Yambrasbamba, Bongará, Amazonas, Peru
| | - Noga Shanee
- Neotropical Primate Conservation, 23 Portland Road, Manchester M32 0PH, U.K
- Asociación Neotropical Primate Conservation Perú, 1187 Avenida Belaunde, La Esperanza, Yambrasbamba, Bongará, Amazonas, Peru
| | - Sarah A. Boyle
- Department of Biology, Rhodes College, 2000 North Parkway, Memphis, TN 38112, USA
| | - Agustin Fuentes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Katherine C. MacKinnon
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
| | - Katherine R. Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, 1810 Hinman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Andreas L. S. Meyer
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, C.P. 19020, Curitiba, PR 81531-990, Brazil
| | - Serge Wich
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, U.K
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Robert W. Sussman
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Ruliang Pan
- School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, University of Western Australia (M309), 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Inza Kone
- Centre Suisse des Recherches Scientifiques, Université de Cocody, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Baoguo Li
- Xi’an Branch of Chinese Academy of Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, No. 229, Taibai North Road, Xi’an 710069, China
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Zak AA, Riley EP. Comparing the Use of Camera Traps and Farmer Reports to Study Crop Feeding Behavior of Moor Macaques (Macaca maura). INT J PRIMATOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9945-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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29
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Crop Feeding by Brown Howlers (Alouatta guariba clamitans) in Forest Fragments: The Conservation Value of Cultivated Species. INT J PRIMATOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9927-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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30
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Dispersal of a Human-Cultivated Crop by Wild Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in a Forest–Farm Matrix. INT J PRIMATOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9924-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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