奥日光に生息するニホンザルの群れの分裂過程における行動圏の変化

概要

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We investigated the effect of troop fission on home range use by Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in Nikko, northern Japan, between March 1998 and October 1999. The home range of the macaques was determined by monitoring them by radio-tracking and direct observation. A troop before fission was designated as Sy, and daughter troops after fission were designated as Sy-1 and Sy-2. Our results showed that the Sy troop migrated seasonally, whereas Sy-1 and Sy-2 troops did not; the home range size per macaque increased on troop fission. The home range of daughter troops divided the home range of the troop before fission into half without range expansion. These results imply that after fission, troops can obtain the required food within their small home range without seasonal migration and that the food environment and social pressure from the neighboring troops affect such persistence. In general, troops of Japanese macaques in the wild are continuously distributed, and therefore, rapid expansion of the home range after troop fission seems to be rare in natural habitats.
2012-05-31