白神山地北東部に生息する野生ニホンザル(Macaca fuscata)の農地利用型食物選択

概要

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Food selection of Japanese monkeys (Macaco fuscata) inhabiting areas near farmland was studied through fecal analysis, direct observation, and feeding-trace analysis methods, from December 1999 to November 2003 in Nishimeya Village, Aomori Prefecture, located in the northeastern Shirakami Mountains of Japan. The monkeys showed a preference for the bark of Morus bombycis in winter. When the snow was deep, they also fed on a wide variety of wild foods, such as waterweeds, bamboo grasses, mushrooms. In August, when their food resources in cool temperature forests are generally reduced, their feeding time in the forest (1.8 hours) was significantly shorter than on farmland (8.3 hours). The monkeys may be attracted to farmland for feeding, as farmers are not able to guard their land adequately due to the depopulation and aging of farming communities. Another peak period for monkeys to feed on farm crops is in November, when they supplement their intake of wild foods with waste apples, lying on and around farmland. This food selection may help to stabilize their food supply and store nutrition to enable them to survive the heavy snowfall season.
野生生物保護学会の論文
2005-01-07