title: A photogrammetric method to evaluate nutritional status without capture in habituated free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata): a pilot study.
abstract: The quantification of nutritional status (e.g., total body fat) of animals is difficult, because the linear dimension (body length) required for the calculation of proxy parameters, such as the physique or body mass indices, cannot be measured without capture. One solution is photogrammetry of body length, provided the following two criteria are met: (1) the camera axes and subject are oriented vertically, and (2) anatomical landmarks are easily identified with low measurement error. By modifying Mori's (Primates 20:371-397, 1979) approach, we devised an accurate photogrammetric method that uses a horizontal bar with an attached ruler for the monkey to traverse, and the anatomical landmarks of the eye and upper border of the ischial callosity to measure body length. We tested the applicability of this method on 11 adult female, habituated, free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). Somatometric body length (crown-rump length and anterior trunk length) was statistically compared with the body length obtained using photogrammetry. The significant correlation of the photogrammetric body length with each somatometric measurement verified that the former could be employed to calculate various indices that are used to characterize fat mass (nutritional status) in Japanese macaques. The advantages and disadvantages of photogrammetry are also discussed.
authors: Division of Cultural Property, Board of Education, Oita City, 2-31 Niage-machi, Oita, Oita 870-8504, Japan. hkurita@muh.biglobe.ne.jp
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Kurita
authors: Takafumi
authors: T
authors: Suzumura
authors: Fujio
authors: F
authors: Kanchi
authors: Yuzuru
authors: Y
authors: Hamada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007564:Japan; D008251:Macaca / Q000502:physiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010780:Photogrammetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012044:Regression Analysis