Feeding Platforms as an Effective Strategy to Prevent the Consumption of Refuse by Urban Populations of Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus)

Abstract

The availability of manmade foodstuffs in the environment may significantly alter the diets, behavior and health of wild animals and the ecosystems ecology. One of the principal problems faced by urban populations of capuchin monkeys is their contact with household refuse, which may provoke a number of impacts on the health of these animals. The present study tested the use of feeding platforms as a strategy to reduce the consumption of unhealthy foodstuffs by these animals and analyzed the influence of this measure on the activity patterns and social interactions of the study groups. For this, we verified the patterns of use of a feeding platform by a capuchin group in an urban park in Goiânia, central Brazil, and compared this study population with those of other parks where alternative feeding protocols are implemented, ranging from continuous provisioning to no intervention whatsoever. Behavioral data were collected using scan sampling. The data analysis was divided into two steps: (i) comparison of the different conditions found in the populations with varying types of feeding platform usage and (ii) comparison of the time budget among sites in the context of seasonal variation. The presence of feeding platforms effectively reduced the consumption of refuse in the study groups, although it did also cause an increase in agonism in the animals and altered their activity patterns, leading to a greater dependence on provisioned resources. The results of this study highlight the complex interaction between human activities and the local wildlife in the urban setting, and the need for more detailed studies, to develop more effective management strategies.