Behavioural responses of lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus) to a changing habitat in a tropical rain forest fragment in the Western Ghats, India.
This study reports critical changes in the behaviour patterns of lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus) inhabiting a continuously changing and deteriorating rain forest fragment in the Western Ghats, India. The study area, a privately owned rain forest patch in a tea/coffee garden called Puthuthotam, has suffered two massive selective logging episodes. Over the years, the native rain forest trees have been largely replaced by non-native/pioneer species resulting in loss of canopy contiguity and significant changes in other vegetation parameters. The almost wholly arboreal lion-tailed macaque now spends a considerable amount of time on the ground in this area. The species has also experienced a major shift in its diet, ranging patterns and other activities.
Singh
M
M
Biopsychology Laboratory, University of Mysore, India. mewa@vsnl.com
Kumara
H N
HN
Kumar
M A
MA
Sharma
A K
AK
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D004463:Ecology; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D007194:India; D008251:Macaca / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011891:Rain; D014197:Trees; D014329:Tropical Climate