The Spatial Ecology of Chacma Baboons (Papio ursinus) in a Human-modified Environment

Abstract

Anthropogenic habitat alteration can have a dramatic effect on the spatial distribution and ranging patterns of primates. We characterized the spatial ecology of a free-living troop of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in a humanmodified environment in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. We used GPS and behavioral observations collected over 1 yr to quantify the troop's home range size, habitat selection, choice of sleeping site, and foraging patterns. The troop comprised 115 individuals living in a home range of 9.50 km 2 , giving a density of 12.1 baboons/km 2 . Area use correlates positively with exotic vegetation and negatively with indigenous vegetation and altitude. The troop spent significantly more time in low-lying human-modified environments, i.e., plantations, vineyards, and urban habitat, than in indigenous vegetation that was largely restricted to steeper slopes at higher elevations. The troop slept exclusively in exotic trees, 94% of which were located in the plantation, 3% in urban habitat, and 3% in vineyards. The most consumed food items were exotic grasses, subterranean food items, and exotic pine nuts. The survival and persistence of the focal troop in close proximity to the urban edge while ≥3 neighboring troops were previously extirpated suggests that access to low-lying land in conjunction with a land-use practice that does not preclude baboon presence has been fundamental to both their survival and persistence at such a high density. The almost exclusive use of exotic vegetation both as a food source and as a safe refuge for sleeping highlights the ecological flexibility of baboons, but the systematic loss of low-lying productive land poses the single greatest threat to their continued persistence on the Cape Peninsula.

Identification of behaviours from accelerometer data in a wild social primate

“…Among many applications, such methods could be used to document situations where primates are in conflict with people in species ranging from chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) [26] to macaques (Macaca mulatta) [27] allowing us to quantify the occurrence of such events and their spatial-temporal dynamics. One of the most high-profile non-human primate-human conflict occurs with people and baboons in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, with baboons raiding bins, properties or taking food directly from people themselves daily [28]. We are particularly interested in using acceleration data to document baboons' behaviour in this environment to understand baboons' behavioural responses to anthropogenic change, but in order to complete this later goal (not developed in the present work), we first need to define a reliable method to assess behaviour through acceleration.…”

Monkey Management: Using Spatial Ecology to Understand the Extent and Severity of Human-Baboon Conflict in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa

“…Troops with the least access to low-lying land and or who slept closest to the urban edge were the same troops to experience the highest levels of human-induced death and human-induced injury. This relationship, which is perhaps unsurprising given the preference of baboons for low elevations (Hoffman and O'Riain 2012), provides important support for the suggestion by Hoffman and O'Riain (2010) that further development of both the low elevation areas of home ranges and the land immediately accessible to baboons from their home ranges will exacerbate levels of humanbaboon conflict for all troops. The results also indicate the importance of managing baboon sleeping-site use, which is discussed in more detail below.…”

Potential human impact on the environmental central niche of the chacma baboon

“…Current and accurate location data are very limited and, with the exception of KwaZulu-Natal, 7 no regional assessments are published. There are spot assessments covering smaller areas and assessments of individual troops, 27,29,35,53,54 but nothing that would enable quantitative regional assessments. In addition, we have little detailed associated data regarding the surroundings of the very limited location data we can access.…”