No abstract

Understanding how threatened species adapt their behavior to landscapes shaped by humans is increasingly important to ensuring they persist in a changing world. Matrix habitats can be shared spaces where human and non-human primates co-exist. We set out to determine how an endemic, nationally threatened forest specialist, the frugivorous, arboreal samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis labiatus), has responded to a matrix habitat made up of residential gardens and commercial plantations in Eastern Cape province, South Africa. We followed two groups from dawn to dusk for a mean of three days per month for 12 months (1 February 2011 to 31 January 2012) using scan sampling to collect data on their diet, activity and ranging patterns. We used resource abundance transects to describe the groups' home ranges and monitored tree phenology to calculate fruit and seed availability indices. Monkeys from both groups consumed large quantities of exotic plant species, 2 accounting for over 50% of their overall annual diet, with seeds of the invasive black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) the most commonly consumed exotic species followed by acorns of two oak species (Quercus robur and palustris.). However, monkeys responded to the availability of indigenous rather than exotic fruits and seeds and increased their consumption of exotics when indigenous fruits were less available. While monkeys spent less time moving when feeding on exotic species compared to indigenous species, eating exotics did not free up monkeys' time to rest or socialize as additional time was required to process exotic foods. To offset the possible negative consequences of the monkeys' reliance on exotic seeds, including escalating conflict between monkeys and people in gardens, we suggest gradual removal of exotic plant species in the habitat and replacement with indigenous species as one mitigation strategy.

In South Africa, the most common primate in rehabilitation centres is the vervet monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops). Here we evaluated the efficacy of releasing two vervet monkey troops into the wild, using the standard methods employed by an established rehabilitation centre. Two troops were assembled over 2–3 years. Coloured ear tags identified adults, subadults and juveniles. Radiocollars were placed on all the adults and subadults of both troops (41% of all individuals). Each troop was released at a suitable site after 2 nights in a holding cage, and supplementary food was provided for 2 months after release. For 10 months, locations of both troops were recorded, as well as the presence/absence of individuals and their general behaviour. The smaller troop survived better than the larger troop, with only 6 of 35 individuals (17%) confirmed alive in the large troop compared with 12 of 24 (50%) in the small troop. Large numbers of missing monkeys make it difficult to determine whether the release was a success. However, results suggest that rehabilitated vervet monkeys could be successfully released in the future. Recommendations are provided for consideration in future releases.

The samango monkey is South Africa's only exclusively forest dwelling primate and represents the southernmost extent of the range of arboreal guenons in Africa. The main threats to South Africa's forests and thus to the samango are linked to increasing land-use pressure and increasing demands for forest resources, resulting in deforestation, degradation and further fragmentation of irreplaceable habitats. The species belongs to the highly polytypic Cercopithecus nictitans group which is sometimes divided into two species C. mitis and C. albogularis. The number of subspecies of C. albogularis is also under debate and is based only on differences in pelage colouration and thus far no genetic research has been undertaken on South African samango monkey populations. In this study we aim to further clarify the number of samango monkey subspecies, as well as their respective distributions in South Africa by combining molecular, morphometric and pelage data. Overall, our study provides the most comprehensive view to date into the taxonomic description of samango monkeys in South Africa. Our data supports the identification of three distinct genetic entities namely; C. a. labiatus, C. a. erythrarchus and C. a. schwarzi and argues for separate conservation management of the distinct genetic entities defined by this study.