Non-human predator interactions with wild great apes in Africa and the use of camera traps to study their dynamics.
The slow life histories of great apes (hereafter 'apes') combined with a growing inventory of predation incidents suggest that apes may be strongly affected by direct predation, as well as by predation risk. Predation risk may shape and increase behavioural flexibility by forcing individuals to adapt their behaviour to predator patterns. Forest leopards are an apex predator of primates in African rain forests and may represent a significant risk to ape populations. More field data are needed to further elucidate the behavioural modifications of apes in response to predation. We present research methods that combine the use of remote camera traps, capture-mark-recapture statistics and occupancy modelling to study predator-African ape relationships and potential antipredator behaviour through spatial variation in species co-occurrence patterns.
Department of Anthropology, ISCSP/CAPP, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. mk29 @ stir.ac.uk
Michelle
M
Klailova
Catarina
C
Casanova
Philipp
P
Henschel
Phyllis
P
Lee
Francesco
F
Rovero
Angelique
A
Todd
D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D002335:Carnivora / Q000502:physiology*; D005010:Ethology / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D020387:Food Chain; D006071:Gorilla gorilla / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D019974:Pan paniscus / Q000502:physiology*; D002679:Pan troglodytes / Q000502:physiology*; D010781:Photography; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D013045:Species Specificity