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A camera trap study of the cyptic, terrestrial guenon cercopithecus lomamiensis in Central Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Date Issued:
2015
Summary:
From October-December 2013, we conducted a study of the newly discovered primate species lesula, Cercopithecus lomamiensis, in the DR Congo. We placed 41 camera traps inside a 4 km2 grid outside the proposed Lomami National Park (LNP). We compared an analysis of 140 lesula events over 1,683 camera trap days from the heavily hunted Okulu area to a pilot study (38 events over 462 camera trap days) at the Losekola study site within the LNP. Our data show an unexpected result: capture probability of lesula (0.08) is the same at both the hunted and non-hunted sites. This is in contrast to the sharp decline in capture probability of all other medium-to-large terrestrial mammals at the Okulu site. These findings suggest lesula’s cryptic behavior is an important adaptation buffering the species from the impacts of hunting. This study also expands knowledge on minimum group size, terrestriality, diet, and times of activity.
Title: A camera trap study of the cyptic, terrestrial guenon cercopithecus lomamiensis in Central Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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Name(s): McPhee, Steven G., author
Detwiler, Kate M., Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Department of Anthropology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2015
Date Issued: 2015
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 118 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: From October-December 2013, we conducted a study of the newly discovered primate species lesula, Cercopithecus lomamiensis, in the DR Congo. We placed 41 camera traps inside a 4 km2 grid outside the proposed Lomami National Park (LNP). We compared an analysis of 140 lesula events over 1,683 camera trap days from the heavily hunted Okulu area to a pilot study (38 events over 462 camera trap days) at the Losekola study site within the LNP. Our data show an unexpected result: capture probability of lesula (0.08) is the same at both the hunted and non-hunted sites. This is in contrast to the sharp decline in capture probability of all other medium-to-large terrestrial mammals at the Okulu site. These findings suggest lesula’s cryptic behavior is an important adaptation buffering the species from the impacts of hunting. This study also expands knowledge on minimum group size, terrestriality, diet, and times of activity.
Identifier: FA00004391 (IID)
Degree granted: Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Cercopithecidae -- Behavior
Congo (Democratic Republic)
Lomami National Park -- Congo (Democratic Republic)
Mammals -- Congo (Democratic Republic) -- Identification
Primates behavior
Wildlife watching -- Congo (Democratic Republic)
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Links: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004391
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004391
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.