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The samango monkey is South Africa's only exclusively forest dwelling primate and represents the southernmost extent of the range of arboreal guenons in Africa. The main threats to South Africa's forests and thus to the samango are linked to increasing land-use pressure and increasing demands for forest resources, resulting in deforestation, degradation and further fragmentation of irreplaceable habitats. The species belongs to the highly polytypic Cercopithecus nictitans group which is sometimes divided into two species C. mitis and C. albogularis. The number of subspecies of C. albogularis is also under debate and is based only on differences in pelage colouration and thus far no genetic research has been undertaken on South African samango monkey populations. In this study we aim to further clarify the number of samango monkey subspecies, as well as their respective distributions in South Africa by combining molecular, morphometric and pelage data. Overall, our study provides the most comprehensive view to date into the taxonomic description of samango monkeys in South Africa. Our data supports the identification of three distinct genetic entities namely; C. a. labiatus, C. a. erythrarchus and C. a. schwarzi and argues for separate conservation management of the distinct genetic entities defined by this study.

This paper reports the results of the first study on secondary seed removal of seeds dispersed by Sykes’ monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis) using camera traps in Africa. Patterns of primary seed dispersal are often superimposed by secondary conveyance, emphasising the need to study these secondary processes carefully. As the agents and mechanisms of seed dispersal are often concealed, being carried out by cryptic or nocturnal animals in dense vegetation, camera trapping was deemed a viable means to investigate secondary removal of seeds disseminated by C. albogularis in the Western Soutpansberg, South Africa. Camera traps were established at preferred feeding trees of the focal Sykes’ monkey group to identify animal species that remove seeds and fruits spat and dropped to the forest floor and seed removal observations were carried out. This method proved to be effective in identifying seed removers and also allowed to get indications about the quantities of seeds removed. Ten animal species were recorded visiting the trees, of which eight were observed removing seeds and fruits. Overall seed and fruit removal rates were high, indicating that the foraging behaviour of C. albogularis attracts many terrestrial frugivores.

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Fruit bats provide vital ecosystem services through seed dispersal aiding secondary forest regeneration. However, fruit bat species are often persecuted by fruit-growing farmers due to perceived and actual crop damage. In this study, we investigated the dietary components of Epomophorous wahlbergi, Epomophorous crypturus and Rousettus aegyptiacus, which are the three fruit bat species commonly found in litchi orchards and surrounding natural habitats in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. We further explored the contribution of fruit bats to seed dispersal and germination success. Fruit bat diet was dominated by wild fruit species (95%), while commercial fruit contributed little (2%) to their diet, even during the litchi harvest season. Fig seeds (Ficus spp.) collected from captured bats as spit outs had significantly lower germination rates than regular seeds, but a significantly lower germination latency. A similar pattern was observed for quinine trees (Rauvolfia caffra). Our results suggest that fruit bats inhabiting orchards and surrounding natural vegetation feed primarily on wild fruit trees, probably modulated by the high percentage of natural vegetation still found in our study area, supporting the importance of natural habitats in mitigating crop damage. We encourage further work on potential disservices by fruit bats and their habitat use.