No abstract

With 5 figures in the text) Ecological conditions, feeding and ranging behaviour as well as physical condition of female Hanuman langurs (Preshytis entellus) were studied in order to analyse the major influences on the timing of reproductive events. The langurs inhabited a semi-evergreen forest dominated by Sal trees (Shorea ?ObUSfC6). The climate was dominated by the summer monsoon lasting from May to September. Availability of plant phytophases was markedly seasonal, with fruiting as well as flushing of the six main food plants during the monsoon. Feeding and ranging behaviour of the females varied with food availability and its distribution. High dietary quality was only obtained during a short period from May to July. Physical condition of the females varied in accordance with dietary quality and energy expenditure, with a good physical condition during the second half of the year. Births occurred from January until June, with most births around the energetically worst period of the year. The results indicate that, in contrast to several other non-human primates, most females of this population gave birth too early to meet the optimum lactation requirements. Complete weaning mainly took place during an energetically bad time of the year (October to December). However, it can be inferred that the reduction of suckling bouts prior to the next conception took place when high quality food was available. Conceptions were confined to the months of July to November, coinciding with the time of best physical condition. Moreover, females who conceived were in a better physical condition than those who failed to conceive, suggesting a primary influence of nutrition on the probability of conception. Seasonality and timing of births may be the result of a regular seasonal shortfall of reSOi,rceS influencing the ability of the females to ovulate and to conceive.

Humans in contact with macaques risk exposure to enzootic primateborne viruses.

In Asia, contact between persons and nonhuman primates is widespread in multiple occupational and nonoccupational contexts. Simian foamy viruses (SFVs) are retroviruses that are prevalent in all species of nonhuman primates. To determine SFV prevalence in humans, we tested 305 persons who lived or worked around nonhuman primates in several South and Southeast Asian countries; 8 (2.6%) were confi rmed SFV positive by Western blot and, for some, by PCR. The interspecies interactions that likely resulted in virus transmission were diverse; 5 macaque taxa were implicated as the source of infection. Phylogenetic analysis showed that SFV from 3 infected persons was similar to that from the nonhuman primate populations with which the infected persons reported contact. Thus, SFV infections are likely to be prevalent among persons who live or work near nonhuman primates in Asia.

No abstract