Influence of Heavy Snow on the Feeding Behavior of Japanese Macaques (Macaca Fuscata) in Northern Japan

Abstract

Natural disasters can degrade primate habitat and alter feeding behavior. Here, we examined the influence of unusually heavy snow on diet and feeding-site use by Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in northern Japan. To compare the winter-feeding behavior under different snow conditions, we recorded the plant species foraged on by macaques in multiple transects of the Shirakami Mountains from 2008 to 2012 (excluding 2011). We used cluster analysis to describe foraged plant assemblages, and applied multiple dimensional scaling and decision tree modeling to evaluate annual variation in feeding-site use by macaques. Our cluster analysis revealed five types of foraged plant assemblages. The proportion of each type present in transects varied considerably across the years, indicating that the diet of macaques in heavy snow conditions was influenced more by resource accessibility than by preference. Multiple dimensional scaling and decision tree modeling demonstrated that heavy snow conditions restricted feeding-site use. Moreover, the distribution of refuges relative to severe external ambient environments was a stronger limiting factor for feeding-site use than was the availability of food resources. While most primate species facing unexpected starvation employ risk-prone foraging tactics (i.e., choosing the option with higher pay-off by accepting risk), Japanese macaques have a tendency to adopt risk-averse foraging behavior (i.e., minimizing energy loss when searching for preferred diet items under long-lasting heavy snow conditions), because winters with temperatures below freezing have higher thermoregulatory costs.

Impact assessment of dam construction and forest management for Japanese macaque habitats in snowy areas

“…Heavy snow and blizzards—physical limiting factors of daily animal movements [Watanuki & Nakayama, ]—are considered as new natural threats for primates from the perspective of their evolutionary process. To cope with these threats, Japanese macaques often adopt a risk‐averse foraging tactic, that is, minimizing energy loss when searching for dietary items [Enari & Sakamaki‐Enari, ]. In the present study, such a tactic resulted in extremely limited habitat use in winter (Fig.…”

Presence of Feces in the Abandoned Nokado Mine, Tochigi Prefecture of Central Japan, Provides Further Evidence of Cave Use by Japanese Macaques

“…It is probable that the heavier snowfall forced the macaques to use the gallery as a shelter from the severe mid-winter environment. It is known that Japanese macaques' dietary habits (Suzuki, 1965;Tsuji et al, 2015), daily travel length, home range use (Watanuki & Nakayama, 1993;Enari & Sakamaki-Enari, 2013), and sleeping site selection (Wada & Tokida, 1981) of macaques vary in response to the amount of snow. This report also highlights that macaques use caves flexibly regardless of whether their origin is natural or artificial.…”

“…One such species is the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata), the northernmost-dwelling non-human primate species, which inhabits even heavily snowy areas such as Mt. Hakusan (Hayashi, 1969), Kurobe Gorge (Akaza, 2002), Shiga Heights (Wada & Tokida, 1981), Kamikochi Basin (Izumiyama, 2014), Nikko (Koganezawa & Imaki, 1999), Shirakami Mountains (Enari & Sakamaki-Enari, 2013), and Shimokita Peninsula (Watanuki et al, 1994). To survive in such harsh environments, macaques have evolved unique morphological (Inagaki & Hamada, 1985;Hamada, 2002) and physiological traits (Hayama et al, 1998).…”

Spatial patterns in the diet of the Japanese macaque Macaca fuscata and their environmental determinants

“…Another possibility is that snow prevents macaques from moving (Majolo et al. ); it is known that macaques in snowy areas have a tendency to perform a low‐cost, low‐benefit strategy in response to habitat deterioration, including snow coverage (Agetsuma , Enari & Sakamaki , Majolo et al. ).…”