Trash on the Menu:Patterns of Animal Visitation and Foraging Behaviour at Garbage Dumps

Katlam, Gitanjali; Prasad, S; Aggarwal, Mohit; Kumar, Raman

doi:10.18520/cs/v115/i12/2322-2326

Cited by 21 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 31 publications

(39 reference statements)

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“…The seasonal variation in the activity budget of Lowe's monkeys is probably because of the low food availability season [29,30]; for instance, the animals spent more time foraging to compensate for the low quality of foods in the dry season [28,29]. This may maximize energy intake and helps to meet their daily nutrient requirements [21,36]. The Lowe's monkeys rested significantly more during the wet season.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, the monkeys inspected (i.e., handling and smelling) substances before eating and they sometimes rejected a substance after inspection, indicating that they were probably able to distinguish between perished and still edible foods and waste. Wild Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were found to adopt a similar strategy when feeding on garbage to avoid the risk of ingesting plastic [36]. Thus, the Lowe's monkeys may have a similar strategy when selecting anthropogenic food Despite the potential benefits of anthropogenic food to wild primates, a principal concern regarding anthropogenic food intake is the alteration of their behaviors and health condition due to nutritional values and contamination [55].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Anthropogenic Food Utilization and Seasonal Difference in Diet of Cercopithecus lowei at a Community Protected Forest in Ghana

Bempah

2021

Diversity

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In recent times, the diet and foraging behaviors of wild animals are influenced by anthropogenic foods since they often share their natural habitats with humans. We investigated the composition, preferred food item, contribution of anthropogenic food at garbage dump sites, and the seasonal effects on the diet of Lowe’s monkeys (Cercopithecus lowei) in the Duasidan Monkey Sanctuary, Ghana. We found that Lowe’s monkeys fed on 13 plant species, as well as anthropogenic foods and invertebrates. The composition of plant diet changed seasonally: Lowe’s monkeys relied more on buds in the dry season while they consumed more fruits in the wet season. However, anthropogenic food was a major component of the diet for both wet (34.8%) and dry seasons (41.3%), suggesting that the monkeys consistently rely on anthropogenic food throughout the year. Nevertheless, we did not observe any conflict between monkeys and local people. The results suggest that Lowe’s monkeys heavily rely on anthropogenic food at human garbage dumps while they maintain a part of their foraging activities in the wild, indicating a need for the proper management of garbage as well as the protection of the natural habitats of Lowe’s monkeys in the Duasidan Monkey Sanctuary, Ghana.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropogenic Food Utilization and Seasonal Difference in Diet of Cercopithecus lowei at a Community Protected Forest in Ghana

Bempah

2021

Diversity

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“…Humans also engage in provisioning during wildlife tourism endeavours to watch or closely interact with animals (Orams 2002). Unintentional provisioning in the form of agricultural crops, orchards, gardens, plantations and discarded food is prevalent globally (Luskin 2010, Katlam et al 2018, Fig. 1).…”

Section: What Is Provisioning?mentioning

confidence: 99%

The influence of provisioning on animal‐mediated seed dispersal

Sengupta

McConkey

Kwit

2021

Oikos

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Anthropogenic provisioning of food to wildlife is ubiquitous across the globe. It may be intentional such as in the form of bird feeders or offering of food to animals by tourists, or unintentional when animals use anthropogenic food sources like crops, plantations or garbage dumps. Provisioning has profound effects on wildlife ecology and behaviour, but the consequences of these changes to mutualistic and antagonistic interactions have rarely been investigated. Here we demonstrate how provisioning can affect the role of wildlife as seed dispersers. As provisioning directly influences the amount and quality of resources, it can substantially impact fruit removal by wildlife, seed displacement and the probability of germination at the sites of deposition -more often in ways that are detrimental. In most cases, fruit removal decreases as animals choose to feed more on the abundant and higher-calorie anthropogenic foods. However, for animals whose size and abundance are increased by provisioning, dispersal quantity could be enhanced. Seed dispersal distances are also reduced by provisioning, and seeds are often deposited at sites unsuitable for germination. More studies are required to understand how these broad patterns might vary across different contexts and wildlife species. Provisioning has the potential to greatly modify plant communities through the direct impacts it has on resources and wildlife seed dispersal services.

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“…Ingestion of garbage waste by birds and mammals is a common behavior observed around the world, with multifactorial causes and serious consequences for the health of animals, humans, and the environment (KATLAM et al, 2018). The main cause of garbage consumption is the lack of proper packaging and handling of food waste, which allows for visualization or olfactory detection of volatile molecules, which attracts wild animals (KATLAM et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potentially harmful materials in the feces of wild ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua) and health implications

et al. 2022

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In ecological parks, the proximity to tourist activities facilitates the exploration of garbage by coatis, with possible serious consequences for the animals health . We described the contents of wild coatis feces from three ecological parks. After analyzing 62 samples, fragments of plants and animals were identified in all feces. In the feces of two parks, seeds were present between 36.4% and 48.6% of the samples. Arthropod fragments were identified in 100% of the samples from two parks, but only 87.3% in a third park. Scales, bones or bird feathers were present in some samples. Undigested material of industrial origin was detected in 34.3% to 54.5% of the samples, such as fragments of paper, string, plastic, aluminum, latex and glass. Results are in line with other studies on the diet of wild coatis, but the intake of foreign bodies, potentially harmful to health, is described for the first time. Clinical problems resulting from ingesting waste can be dental fractures, mucosal erosions, intestinal perforation, peritonitis, impaction, diarrhea, weight loss, intoxication and infections. Coatis in the three parks are at risk of health, and actions are needed to avoid clinical and potentially fatal problems. Four actions are recommended to avoid ingesting foreign bodies: increasing the environmental education of visitors; improving the storage of waste generated in parks; periodically monitor the health of coatis, in order to make interventions when possible; make a permanent program to study the ecology of species in the three parks.

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Trash on the Menu:Patterns of Animal Visitation and Foraging Behaviour at Garbage Dumps

Cited by 21 publications

References 31 publications

Anthropogenic Food Utilization and Seasonal Difference in Diet of Cercopithecus lowei at a Community Protected Forest in Ghana

Anthropogenic Food Utilization and Seasonal Difference in Diet of Cercopithecus lowei at a Community Protected Forest in Ghana

The influence of provisioning on animal‐mediated seed dispersal

Potentially harmful materials in the feces of wild ring-tailed coatis (Nasua nasua) and health implications

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