Home Range Size and Use in Allocebus trichotis in Analamazaotra Special Reserve, Central Eastern Madagascar |
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Authors: | Karla Biebouw |
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Institution: | (1) Nocturnal Primate Research Group, Department of Anthropology and Geography, School of Social Sciences and Law, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK |
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Abstract: | No information is currently available on the space needs of hairy-eared dwarf lemurs (Allocebus trichotis), classified as Data Deficient. The data are crucial for their conservation and comparison with other nocturnal primates.
I conducted the first radiotracking study of the species from January to December 2007 in the Analamazaotra Special Reserve
of Central Eastern Madagascar. I used nocturnal focal individual follows and daytime nest locations to determine home ranges.
I followed 1 full sleeping group (4 adults) for 8 mo and 1 partial sleeping group (2 females) for 3 mo. Group home ranges,
calculated via 100% minimum convex polygons (MCP), were 35.5 ha and 16.0 ha, respectively. The 95% kernel method of analysis
yielded group home ranges of 15.2 ha and 7.1 ha respectively. The mean home range size for individuals was 15.4 ha (MCP) and
5.4 ha (kernel). This is much larger than for other Cheirogaleidae and could be due to a more insectivorous diet or the use
of patchily distributed gum-producing trees. There were small nonsignificant monthly variations in home range size. The mean
home range size per individual per month was 5.2 ha (MCP) and 2.2 ha (kernel). Important individual differences in overall
and monthly home range size could be due to variations in the individual reproductive cycles and survival strategies. Overlap
analyses and the lack of sexual difference in home range size suggest the social unit is a family or multimale/multifemale
sleeping group with monogamous or promiscuous mating. The Analamazaotra Special Reserve probably holds ca. 100 adult individuals. Additional research is urgently needed to clarify the habitat needs of this rare species. |
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Keywords: | conservation habitat use population estimate seasonal variation social structure |
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