Factors Affecting the Ranging Behavior of White-headed Langurs (Trachypithecus leucocephalus)

Abstract

Ranging behavior is an important aspect of animal behavior that researchers use to investigate ecological influences on individual behavior. We studied the influence of diet, water resources, and sleeping sites on the ranging behavior of 2 groups of white-headed langurs (Trachypithecus leucocephalus) in a limestone habitat at Fusui Nature Reserve, China, between August 2007 and July 2008. During the study period, the total home range sizes for the 2 focal groups were 23.8 ha and 33.8 ha, the mean daily path lengths were 491 m and 512 m, and leaves accounted for 83.4% and 91.0% of the diet, which are well within the range of variation reported for other Trachypithecus. One focal group traveled significantly longer distances in the rainy season months than in the dry season months. This variation may be related to the seasonal difference in food availability and diet. The langurs did not use their home ranges uniformly, and 50% of their activities occurred within 11% (group 1) and 20% (group 2) of their home ranges. The most heavily used quadrats in the home ranges were located near the most frequently used sleeping sites. Moreover, the core areas (>70% of location records) of both groups' home ranges included ≥1 permanent water pool. The langurs ventured to these pools for drinking when surface water became scarce in the dry season. These results suggest that sleeping sites and water scarcity may be significant influences on the ranging behavior of white-headed langurs in limestone habitat.

Size, Site Fidelity, and Overlap of Home Ranges and Core Areas in the Socially Monogamous Owl Monkey (Aotus azarae) of Northern Argentina

“…Additionally, the availability of 51 different resources has also been shown to influence individual spatial behavior. While the location 52 of water or sleeping sites may affect the use of space (Zhou et al 2011), the diet, quality and 53 distribution of food sources are usually considered the most important resources influencing patterns 54 of ranging (Buzzard 2006). Generally, folivorous primates have smaller ranges as they exploit 55 ubiquitous food resources, while frugivorous and insectivorous primates have comparatively larger 56 ranges and longer daily travel distances to exploit unpredictable or patchily distributed resources 57 In many primate species, home range size is also related to group size, in line with the 62 prediction that groups will expand their range when the number of individuals in a group increases if 63 scramble-competition is present (Clutton-Brock and Harvey 1981; Isbell et al 1998;Watts 1998 (Wright 1978, pers.…”

Untitled

“…Home range size and habitat utilization are assumed to be primarily dependent on the availability, distribution, and quality of food resources [1][2][3][4][5][6]. With generally smaller home ranges, and compared to frugivorous species, folivorous species tend to move over shorter distances each day.…”

“…For instance, the length of daily travel is shortened in some species when high-quality food is rare (e.g., Trachypithecus pileatus [8], Hylobates lar [9]), conversely, other species move further to look for high-quality food resources (e.g., Colobus angolensis [10], Trachypithecus leucocephalus [11]). Ranging behavior and habitat use may also be influenced by other factors such as rainfall [12], group size [13], forest structure [4], water availability [14], location of dormitory [5], intergroup relationships [15], and parasite avoidance [16]. Nevertheless, crop-raiding primates having access to locally concentrate and high-quality food are thought to have also small home ranges that can be affected by the intensity of the human-primate conflict.…”

Home Range and Habitat Use of Crop-Raiding Barbary Macaques in the Upper Ourika Valley, Western High Atlas Mountains, Morocco

“…Home range size and habitat utilization are assumed to be primarily dependent on the availability, distribution, and quality of food resources. [1][2][3][4][5][6] With generally smaller home ranges, and compared to frugivorous species, folivorous species tend to move over shorter distances each day. In addition, primates can adjust their ranging behavior according to seasonal variations in food availability.…”

“…Ranging behavior and habitat use may also be influenced by other factors such as rainfall, 12 group size, 13 forest structure, 4 water availability, 14 location of dormitory, 5 intergroup relationships, 15 and parasite avoidance. 16 Nevertheless, crop-raiding primates having access to locally concentrate and high-quality food are thought to have also small home ranges that can be affected by the intensity of the human-primate conflict.…”