A study of the foraging strategies of Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) in wild and provisioned free-ranging groups

doi:10.16359/j.cnki.cn11-1963/q.2018.0043

Abstract

Abstract:

We conducted a comparative study for one-year (from December 2015 to November 2016) on foraging strategies of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in wild and provisioned free-ranging groups. The former group was distributed on Neilingding Island and the latter on Shangchuan Island. Both habitats have similar ecological conditions. In both groups, macaques selected fruit as their major food source. Macaques in the provisioned free-ranging group selected fruits with low crude protein and moisture content, whereas those in the wild group were not highly selective. Available fruit resources and nutrient content affected fruit choice of macaques. Throughout the year, both wild and provisioned macaques try to maximize energy gain per unit time with different behavioral strategies. The former continuously selected fruit as their major foods source, while the latter shifted feeding frequency of their fruit diet according to temporal variations of fruit availability. There was no significant relationship between density of trees and leaf consumption, as well as no significant difference in moisture content, crude protein, crude lipid, neutral detergent fibre and crude ash between the major leaf source and other leaf sources in both groups. This study revealed rhesus macaque feeding strategy and behavioral flexibility in response to resource variations in their habitats.

Key words: Foraging strategy, Food, Nutrition, Optimal foraging theory, Non-human primate, Macaca mulatta

CLC Number:

Q915.879

DING Zhenfang, HAO Jing, XU Hualin, ZHANG Peng. A study of the foraging strategies of Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) in wild and provisioned free-ranging groups[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2020, 39(03): 495-506.

Figures/Tables 5

References 35

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营养成分	主要食物（n=12）		次要食物（n=4）
营养成分	平均值	标准差	平均值	标准差
含水量(% )	68.85	10.45	74.34	4.21
粗蛋白(%)	7.39	2.64	8.28	2.35
粗脂肪(%)	3.99	2.63	2.61	0.58
中性洗涤纤维(%)	59.85	13.99	53.29	10.47
粗灰分(%)	4.86*	2.21	7.22*	1.00
蛋白纤维比	14.12	3.14	16.02	5.06

营养成分	主要食物（n=12）		次要食物（n=4）
营养成分	平均值	标准差	平均值	标准差
含水量(% )	68.85	10.45	74.34	4.21
粗蛋白(%)	7.39	2.64	8.28	2.35
粗脂肪(%)	3.99	2.63	2.61	0.58
中性洗涤纤维(%)	59.85	13.99	53.29	10.47
粗灰分(%)	4.86*	2.21	7.22*	1.00
蛋白纤维比	14.12	3.14	16.02	5.06

营养成分	主要食物（n=2）		次要食物（n=4）
营养成分	平均值	标准差	平均值	标准差
含水量(% )	66.17*	4.43	86.78*	2.69
粗蛋白(%)	6.22*	1.77	14.72*	1.35
粗脂肪(%)	3.26	3.01	8.03	3.04
中性洗涤纤维(%)	46.84	20.09	38.97	9.39
粗灰分(%)	3.34*	0.74	11.90*	0.07
蛋白纤维比	0.15*	0.08	0.38*	0.05

营养成分	主要食物（n=2）		次要食物（n=4）
营养成分	平均值	标准差	平均值	标准差
含水量(% )	66.17*	4.43	86.78*	2.69
粗蛋白(%)	6.22*	1.77	14.72*	1.35
粗脂肪(%)	3.26	3.01	8.03	3.04
中性洗涤纤维(%)	46.84	20.09	38.97	9.39
粗灰分(%)	3.34*	0.74	11.90*	0.07
蛋白纤维比	0.15*	0.08	0.38*	0.05