Some factors affecting the feeding ecology and socio-biology of the samango monkey, cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi roberts, 1931

Abstract

In an attempt to explain why forest monkeys have a one-male group type of social structure in an environment of apparently rich food supply, the food resources, feeding behaviour and ranging behaviour of the samango monkey was studied in forest on the Eastern Transvaal Escarpment. The taxonomy of the samango monkey in southern africa is discussed, as well as it•s relationship to other forest Cercopithecines. The adaptations and limitations of the animal •s intrinsic characteristics in a forest environment are discussed. By a detailed analysis of climatic, microclimatic, phytosociological and phenological data the nature of the habitat as a whole was enumerated. Climatic parameters of the study area were compared to other areas inhabited by close relations of the samango monkey and the study area was found to be highly unstable in comparison to them. The forest itself was found to exercise a buffering effect on all meteors examined, thus modulating this instability to a degree. The forest areas used by the monkeys were of mixed dominance and could be divided by qualitative methods into distinct vegetational zones. Phenologically the trees were found to be highly irregular in time, duration and amount of production of a given phytophase. Almost all identified species in the study area were found to be used by the monkeys as a source of food. Several samango food items were weighed and measured and their food values determined. The effect of palatability and ease of obtaining and preparing food items is discussed. From this enumeration of the forest as a habitat it was found that contrary to popular belief forest is in fact a highly irregular and variable provider of food, indicating that the monkeys may indeed suffer from a form of food stress, albeit not in the same way that a gelada baboon does. In the last section the response of the monkeys in their social structure, ranging behaviour and activity patterns is discussed. Aspects of all of these were seen to show adaptations to this variable and uncertain environment.