Mangabey (Cercocebus albigena) ranging patterns in relation to fruit availability and the risk of parasite infection in Kibale National Park, Uganda

Abstract

Two opposing hypotheses concerning determinants of mangabey (Cercocebus albigena) ranging patterns have been advocated. One hypothesis suggests that ranging patterns of mangabeys are largely a response to fruit availability, while the other hypothesis advocates that concerns of fruit availability are supplemented or overridden by concerns of fecal contamination and that the risk of parasite infection, especially during dry weather, determines their pattern of range use. In this 9 month study of mangabeys in the Kanyawara study area of Kibale National Park, mangabeys moved longer distances during the wet season than during the dry season. There were no seasonal differences in group spread, number of 50 by 50 m quadrats used, or in quadrat overlap between sequential sample periods. Intensity of quadrat use was closely related to the number of fruiting trees/lianas in the quadrats, irrespective of season. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that fruit availability is a main factor influencing mangabey ranging patterns. The results are not consistent with the hypothesis that mangabey ranging patterns largely reflect differential seasonal risk of parasite infection. Am. J. Primatol. 43:65–78, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Evidence for a spatial memory of fruiting states of rainforest trees in wild mangabeys

“…These trees were selected so that a maximum number of trees could fit in the study area, under the condition that individual trees were separated by at least 300 m (A. fragrans) or 200 m (F. sansibarica). We chose a smaller critical distance for F. sansibarica because the mean AE SD group spread of grey-cheeked mangabeys (57.0 AE 31.2 m; Olupot et al 1997) was smaller than that of the sooty mangabeys (102 AE 52 m; K.R.L. Janmaat, unpublished data).…”

Habitat selection and use in the Critically Endangered Sahamalaza sportive lemur Lepilemur sahamalazensis in altered habitat

“…Important factors for habitat selection and use in primates are the distribution of resources that a species depends on, combined with the necessity for protection against predators (Altmann 1974, Rylands 1986, Oates 1987, Defler 1989. Resources that have been shown to affect habitat selection in primates include the availability of sleeping sites (Altmann 1974, Hamilton 1982, Anderson 1984, water (Altmann 1974, Robinson 1986, Chapman 1988, Barton et al 1992 and food abundance (Terborgh 1983, Zhang 1995, Olupot et al 1997. In lemurs, diverse habitat characteristics have been suggested to influence habitat selection and use, such as the abundance of food sources like Canarium spp.…”

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“…Home range size and habitat utilization are assumed to be primarily dependent on the availability, distribution, and quality of food resources [1][2][3][4][5][6]. With generally smaller home ranges, and compared to frugivorous species, folivorous species tend to move over shorter distances each day.…”