‘Emptying Forests?’ Conservation Implications of Past Human–Primate Interactions

Amano, Noel; Wang, Yiming V.; Boivin, Nicole; Roberts, Patrick

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2020.12.004

Cited by 12 publications

(12 citation statements)

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“…In primate habitats, anthropogenic activities cause reductions in forest cover and resource availability, threatening primate populations (Boyle and Smith, 2010;Estrada et al, 2017;Marsh & Chapman, 2013;Spaan et al, 2020). This is especially the case in Southeast Asia, where at least 91% of the primate populations are declining (Amano et al, 2021;IUCN, 2019). Species' population status (i.e., density, abundance, and geographic distribution) may vary along space and time as a result of habitat modification by anthropogenic activities (Estrada et al, 2017;Wich & Marshall, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Anthropogenic Activities on the Population of Moor Macaques (Macaca maura) in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

et al. 2022

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Forest loss due to anthropogenic activities is one of the main causes of plant and animal species decline. Studying the species’ population status (i.e., density, abundance, and geographic distribution) on a regular basis is one of the main tools to assess the effect of anthropogenic activities on wildlife, to monitor population dynamics and to intervene with effective conservation strategies when the population of an endangered species declines. On Sulawesi Island, Indonesia, anthropogenic activities, such as agriculture, are decreasing the remaining natural habitats available for several endemic and endangered species. The effect of this forest loss on the threatened moor macaques (Macaca maura) in South Sulawesi is unknown, and data on the population status of this species are needed to design effective conservation strategies. To assess the population status of the moor macaques, we walked linear transects (N = 29, survey effort = 114 km) at six sites between November 2019 and March 2020 to estimate macaque population density and encounter rate. We tested the effect of anthropogenic activities on macaque encounter rate. Our global density estimate (24 individuals/km2) was lower than the overall estimate from the most detailed survey conducted on this species, which covered its whole geographic distribution (36.1 individuals/km2). However, these results should be interpreted with caution because the previous density estimate falls within the confidence intervals of our estimate. Furthermore, we found regional declines in moor macaque encounter rates in at least two sites compared with previous studies. We found a high presence of anthropogenic activity in the forests inhabited by macaques. Moor macaques were less abundant in open areas with no forest (i.e., clear cuttings) than in forested areas, and in the presence of nonspecies-specific hunting traps (i.e., wire-loop traps). Moreover, moor macaques were more abundant in areas with a higher presence of humans and domestic animals. Overall, our data suggest that the population of this species may be declining in certain regions but further surveys are needed to corroborate whether this is occurring across the entire geographic distribution.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Anthropogenic Activities on the Population of Moor Macaques (Macaca maura) in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

et al. 2022

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“…This historical reality contradicts early naturalists’ underlying assumption that an organism's natural habitat was devoid of human impact, which is often considered a disturbance with negative influence on the environment. Rather, as part of many organisms’ natural ecosystems, humans both positively and negatively influence the behaviors and evolution of other species in a multitude of ways (Amano et al., 2021 ; Fuentes and Baynes‐Rock, 2017 ). Thus, a study of natural history should reflect the ways by which an organism's life adjusts to relationships with all other species in its ecosystem, including humans (Denevan, 2011 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, with the emergence of the field of ethnoprimatology, there has been increasing recognition that human‐modified environments are ubiquitous and provide valuable knowledge about NHP behavior and evolution (Dore et al., 2017 ; Fuentes, 2012 ). Long histories of cohabitation, hunting pressures, and, in many cases, cultural significance suggest that NHPs have been adjusting to human influence for millennia (Amano et al., 2021 ); researchers incorporating this knowledge are now beginning to understand NHP responses to increasingly altered landscapes along a gradient (Hockings & McLennan, 2016 ), rather than a wild‐captive dichotomy as is commonly presented in museum records. Even more, the modern reality of anthropogenic climate change is that there are no environments that are untouched by human activities: They are all impacted by anthropogenic pressures to some degree, even those most distant from human reach (Allen et al., 2019 ; Jamieson et al., 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Large‐scale attempts are rarely made to understand the range of human‐modified environments represented by primate specimens in museum collections (however, see Amano et al., 2021 ). This may be due to the challenges of determining the precise provenance of many specimens, as well as the absence of a nondichotomous framework to assess the settings and conditions in which animals lived and died.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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What does it mean to be wild? Assessing human influence on the environments of nonhuman primate specimens in museum collections

Eller

Canington

Saiyed

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Objectives Natural history collections are often thought to represent environments in a pristine natural state—free from human intervention—the so‐called “wild.” In this study, we aim to assess the level of human influence represented by natural history collections of wild‐collected primates over 120 years at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History (NMNH). Materials and Methods Our sample consisted of 875 catarrhine primate specimens in NMNH collections, representing 13 genera collected in 39 countries from 1882 to 2004. Using archival and accession information we determined the approximate locations from which specimens were collected. We then plotted location coordinates onto publicly available anthrome maps created by Ellis et al. (Global Ecology and Biogeography, 2010, 19, 589), which delineate terrestrial biomes of human population density and land use worldwide since the 1700s. Results We found that among primates collected from their native ranges, 92% were from an environment that had some level of human impact, suggesting that the majority of presumed wild‐collected primate specimens lived in an environment influenced by humans during their lifetimes. Discussion The degree to which human‐modified environments may have impacted the lives of primates currently held in museum collections has been historically ignored, implicating unforeseen consequences for collection‐based research. While unique effects related to commensalism with humans remain understudied, effects currently attributed to natural phenomena may, in fact, be related to anthropogenic pressures on unmanaged populations of primates.

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“…Primate populations are declining rapidly because of the devastation from habitat change and shrinkage of primary habitats, competition for food and space, hunting, pet trade, and body parts for traditional medicines (Wolfheim 1983;Mittermeier 1986;da Silva et al 2016;Amano et al 2021). However, expansion of human settlements, destruction of natural habitats and scarcity of food are the major challenges for the urban Rhesus Macaques.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta (Mammalia: Primates: Cercopithecidae) in a human-modified landscape: population, activity budget, and societal perceptions in Bangladesh

et al. 2021

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Rhesus Macaques are widely distributed and ecologically diverse primate species that attract special focus from the research and conservation approaches. We studied population, activity budget, and societal perceptions of Rhesus Macaque at Old Dhaka City, Bangladesh from March 2015 to February 2016. Total count was used to determine the group size and composition. Daily activity budgets of Rhesus Macaques were studied using scan sampling method. Questionnaire survey was conducted to know the attitudes of local people towards monkey conservation in the area. Seven groups with a total of 169 individuals were recorded. The population density was 15.5 individuals/ km² and group size ranged from 8 to 63 individuals. Rhesus Macaque spent most of their time in resting (38.5%) followed by feeding (25.7%), moving (18.4%), grooming (12.8%), and playing or object manipulation (4.6%). There was a significant variation in each behavioral activity among the age-sex classes. Questionnaire survey revealed that property damage was the main problem created by the monkeys. A significant majority of people (83.4%) held a positive outlook toward conservation of this species. Variables such as religion, education, and occupation of the respondents significantly influenced their opinion about conservation. These findings have implications for not only conservation and management interventions of Rhesus Macaque but also helpful for minimizing human-monkey interactions in urban areas.

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‘Emptying Forests?’ Conservation Implications of Past Human–Primate Interactions

Cited by 12 publications

References 95 publications

Effect of Anthropogenic Activities on the Population of Moor Macaques (Macaca maura) in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Effect of Anthropogenic Activities on the Population of Moor Macaques (Macaca maura) in South Sulawesi, Indonesia

What does it mean to be wild? Assessing human influence on the environments of nonhuman primate specimens in museum collections

Rhesus Macaque Macaca mulatta (Mammalia: Primates: Cercopithecidae) in a human-modified landscape: population, activity budget, and societal perceptions in Bangladesh

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