Alouatta seniculus: density, home range and group structure in a bamboo forest fragment in the Colombian Andes.
We evaluated population density, group structure and home range of red howler monkeys in a bamboo forest fragment in the Cordillera Central mountain range of Colombia. We estimated a density of 377.7 individuals/km(2), which is a higher density than normally reported for this species. The average home range size was 3.6 ± 1.1 ha. We found large groups (15.1 ± 4.0 individuals) with subgrouping behavior (daily divisions in foraging subgroups), and a high number of adult and subadult individuals of both sexes per group (mean of 5 males and 7 females per group). The small home range and large group size observed may be related to the high density of howler monkeys in this fragment, which we suggest could be the result of limited dispersal opportunities for these monkeys. The results illustrate the great plasticity of the genus Alouatta, which enables the monkeys to live in a wide range of conditions.
WCS Colombia/Fundación EcoAndina, Cali, Colombia. cgomez@u.washington.edu
Carolina
C
Gómez-Posada
Jorge Mario
JM
Londoño
D000508:Alouatta / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003105:Colombia; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D006702:Homing Behavior; D008297:Male; D006109:Poaceae; D011156:Population Density; D012919:Social Behavior