Abstract:
The chosen habitat of any animal species comprises a range of environmental features that
provide adequate resources for its continuous survival. Consequently, the criteria of habitat
selection by animals, combines a wider spectrum of both environmental and extrinsic factors, with
major prerequisites based on food resources, availability of shelter and suitable ethics for
procreation. From this study, conducted in winter and early spring, at Mt. Wangwushan area,
located on N 35°05′-35°15′, E 112°12′-112°22′, in Taihangshan Macaque National Nature Reserve
(TMNNR), Jiyuan, Henan Province, we show by elaborative results that Macaca mulatta
tcheliensis was specifically associated with the following habitat characteristics: 1) the average
tree DBH (diameter at breast height) with over 15 cm; 2) the distance from human disturbance of
less than 2000 m; 3) the distance to water with less than 1000 m; 4) the gradient of mountain slope
of 15°~40°; 5) which was markedly tarrying with the altitude ranges from 1000 m to 1300 m; and
6) where the canopy coverage was less than 60%. In addition, during this study, rhesus macaque
mostly inhabited the sunny slopes of mountains than the shady areas. Results of the first five
principal components analysis (PCA) accounted for the total variance of 68.88%, while the other
factors showed insignificant effects on habitat selection by rhesus macaque in the temperate forest.
In conclusion, these new results increase our understanding on the living status, under the harshest
condition, in winter and early spring of Macaca mulatta tcheliensis, the sub-species of rhesus
macaques as may be linked to its habitat selection and utilization, in the temperate forest.
