Regional Variation in The Feeding Patterns of Long-Tailed Macaques and The Ecological Determinants

Abstract

Dietary composition and activity budgets are important aspects of primate ecology, and habitat quality often affects them and makes a regional variation in the behavior of target species. This study describes the variations in activity budgets and dietary habits of free-ranging long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in original habitats through a web-based survey. Then, the relationships between the behavioral aspects and geographical/ environmental variables were analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation. Activity budgets of the macaques were stable regardless of the habitats, except for social behavior which showed a positive correlation with elevation. Percentages of primary foods (fruits, seeds, flowers, and leaves), on the other hand, were stable across habitats, while of non-primary foods (fungi, soil, and others) showed negative relationships with temperature. In several study sites, percentages of anthropogenic diets were remarkably higher. The lack of regional variations in activity and primary dietary composition is likely due to higher food availability in the tropical habitat, which is contrasting to those in the macaques inhabiting temperate regions that show drastic behavioral plasticity in response to regional variation in food environment. Percentage of fungi and soil showed positive relationship with human population, which is likely to contribute to neutralize nutritional compounds obtained from anthropogenic foods.