Adaptation au milieu naturel d’un jeune Cercopithecus solatus élevé à la main

Abstract

After his mother had been killed when he was 5 months old, Mbaya, a young C. solatus, was raised at the Makande field station with the intention of reintroducing him later in his natural environment. Therefore, he was allowed to accompany research workers in the forest and he was free to choose his food and movements. He did not get food poisoning and he soon found his bearings. He developed social contacts with other primates he met. Although he was attracted by the forest, he never went there alone during this 22-month study. He showed obvious interest in wild troops of C. solatus, particularly in young group members. These C. solatus first showed rejection reactions, then tolerated him. Mbaya stayed longer and longer with three different troops of C. solatus (up to 6 days), and with a solitary adult male for a maximum of 12 days. However, he never integrated a troop definitively. In spite of their total permissiveness, Mbaya mixed with troops of Colobus satanas only for short durations (less than 2 hours), often during feeding and always at heights below 15 meters. This study suggests that 1) the young C. solatus had acquired species recognition during the first 5 months of his life ; 2) a few months with humans was sufficient to make his return to the natural environment difficult.