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Koch Liston AL, Zhu X, Bang TV, Phiapalath P, Hun S, Ahmed T, Hasan S, Biswas S, Nath S, Ahmed T, Ilham K, Lwin N, Frechette JL, Hon N, Agger C, Ai S, Auda E, Gazagne E, Kamler JF, Groenenberg M, Banet-Eugene S, Challis N, Vibol N, Leroux N, Sinovas P, Reaksmey S, Muñoz VH, Lappan S, Zainol Z, Albanese V, Alexiadou A, Nielsen DRK, Holzner A, Ruppert N, Briefer EF, Fuentes A, Hansen MF. A model for the noninvasive, habitat-inclusive estimation of upper limit abundance for synanthropes, exemplified by M. fascicularis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadn5390. [PMID: 38787941 PMCID: PMC11122667 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adn5390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Accurately estimating population sizes for free-ranging animals through noninvasive methods, such as camera trap images, remains particularly limited by small datasets. To overcome this, we developed a flexible model for estimating upper limit populations and exemplified it by studying a group-living synanthrope, the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis). Habitat preference maps, based on environmental and GPS data, were generated with a maximum entropy model and combined with data obtained from camera traps, line transect distance sampling, and direct sightings to produce an expected number of individuals. The mapping between habitat preference and number of individuals was optimized through a tunable parameter ρ (inquisitiveness) that accounts for repeated observations of individuals. Benchmarking against published data highlights the high accuracy of the model. Overall, this approach combines citizen science with scientific observations and reveals the long-tailed macaque populations to be (up to 80%) smaller than expected. The model's flexibility makes it suitable for many species, providing a scalable, noninvasive tool for wildlife conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- André L. Koch Liston
- Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
| | - Xueying Zhu
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - Tran V. Bang
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Southern Institute of Ecology, Institute of Applied Material Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | | | - Seiha Hun
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Conservation International, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Tanvir Ahmed
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Nature Conservation Management, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Deutsches Primatenzentrum GmbH Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sabit Hasan
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Isabela Foundation, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Sajib Biswas
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Nature Conservation Management, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shimul Nath
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Nature Conservation Management, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Toufique Ahmed
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Nature Conservation Management, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kurnia Ilham
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Museum of Zoology, Department of Biology, Andalas University, Padang, Indonesia
- Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Ngwe Lwin
- Fauna & Flora International Myanmar, Yangon, Myanmar
| | | | - Naven Hon
- Conservation International, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Cain Agger
- Wildlife Conservation Society Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Suzuki Ai
- Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Open Innovation & Collaboration Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Emeline Auda
- Wildlife Conservation Society Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Eva Gazagne
- Unit of Research SPHERES, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Jan F. Kamler
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Neil Challis
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Neil Challis Photography, Kanchanaburi, Thailand
| | | | | | - Pablo Sinovas
- Fauna & Flora International Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Sophatt Reaksmey
- Fishing Cat Ecological Enterprise Co. Ltd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Vanessa H. Muñoz
- Fishing Cat Ecological Enterprise Co. Ltd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Susan Lappan
- Department of Anthropology, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, USA
- Malaysian Primatological Society, Kulim, Malaysia
| | - Zaki Zainol
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | | | - Athanasia Alexiadou
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | | | - Nadine Ruppert
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Malaysian Primatological Society, Kulim, Malaysia
- School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
| | - Elodie F. Briefer
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Agustin Fuentes
- Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
| | - Malene F. Hansen
- Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
- The Long-Tailed Macaque Project, Sorø, Denmark
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Wildlife Trade Research Group, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
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Kim JW, Lee YB, Hong YS, Jung H, Lee GH. Potential Food Inclination of Crab-Eating Macaques in Laboratory Environments: Enhancing Positive Reinforcement Training and Health Optimization. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1123. [PMID: 38612362 PMCID: PMC11010923 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Positive reinforcement and training for health optimization are pivotal for successful studies with monkeys. Potential food inclination is important for studies on crab-eating macaques in laboratory environments, but evaluations remain scarce. We explored crab-eating macaques' potential food inclination to establish a reward system for future behavioral assessments. Twelve male and three female monkeys underwent a food inclination assessment in which they were offered four food categories-fruits, vegetables, proteins, and nuts. The monkeys exhibited a higher inclination for plant-based foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, over animal-based proteins like chicken and tuna (p < 0.0001), with a notable inclination for nuts (eaten/provided = 100%). Additionally, the consistency of potential food inclination after repeated offerings was investigated, revealing a time-dependent increase in inclination for protein items. Food consumption ratios correlated positively with caloric intake (r = 0.59, p = 0.02), implying that individuals with a regular high caloric intake and increased body weight are more likely to accept food during positive reinforcement training. Our findings suggest fruits, vegetables, protein-rich foods, and nuts can help with health optimization. However, animal-based protein-rich foods initially had a low preference, which may increase over time. Our study can provide guidelines for positive reinforcement training and health optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Gwang-Hoon Lee
- Preclinical Research Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, Daegu 41061, Republic of Korea (Y.S.H.); (H.J.)
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Lee SXT, Amir Z, Moore JH, Gaynor KM, Luskin MS. Effects of human disturbances on wildlife behaviour and consequences for predator-prey overlap in Southeast Asia. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1521. [PMID: 38374248 PMCID: PMC10876642 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45905-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Some animal species shift their activity towards increased nocturnality in disturbed habitats to avoid predominantly diurnal humans. This may alter diel overlap among species, a precondition to most predation and competition interactions that structure food webs. Here, using camera trap data from 10 tropical forest landscapes, we find that hyperdiverse Southeast Asian wildlife communities shift their peak activity from early mornings in intact habitats towards dawn and dusk in disturbed habitats (increased crepuscularity). Our results indicate that anthropogenic disturbances drive opposing behavioural adaptations based on rarity, size and feeding guild, with more nocturnality among the 59 rarer specialists' species, more diurnality for medium-sized generalists, and less diurnality for larger hunted species. Species turnover also played a role in underpinning community- and guild-level responses, with disturbances associated with markedly more detections of diurnal generalists and their medium-sized diurnal predators. However, overlap among predator-prey or competitor guilds does not vary with disturbance, suggesting that net species interactions may be conserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Xin Tham Lee
- School of the Environment, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Zachary Amir
- School of the Environment, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Jonathan H Moore
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- Departments of Zoology and Botany, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Matthew Scott Luskin
- Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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