Habitat selection of an endangered primate, the samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi): Integrating scales to prioritize habitat for wildlife management.

Edwin J Parker,Nicola F Koyama,Russell A Hill

doi:10.1002/ece3.7631

Edwin J Parker, Nicola F Koyama + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7631

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Abstract

AimAs habitat loss continues to accelerate with global human population growth, identifying landscape characteristics that influence species occurrence is a key conservation priority in order to prevent global biodiversity loss. In South Africa, the arboreal samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis sp.) is threatened due to loss and fragmentation of the indigenous forests it inhabits. The aim of this study was to determine the habitat preferences of the samango monkey at different spatial scales, and to identify key conservation areas to inform management plans for this species.LocationThis study was carried out in the western Soutpansberg Mountains, which represents the northernmost population of samango monkeys within South Africa, and the only endangered subspecies (C. a. schwarzi).MethodsWe used sequentially collected GPS points from two samango monkey groups followed between 2012 and 2017 to quantify the used and available habitat for this species within the western Soutpansberg Mountains. We developed 2nd‐order (selection of ranging area), 3rd‐order (selection within range), and 4th‐order (feeding site selection) resource selection functions (RSFs) to identify important habitat features at each scale. Through scale integration, we identified three key conservation areas for samango monkeys across Limpopo Province, South Africa.ResultsHabitat productivity was the most important landscape variable predicting probability of use at each order of selection, indicating the dependence of these arboreal primates on tall‐canopy indigenous forests. Critical habitat across Limpopo was highly fragmented, meaning complete isolation between subpopulations is likely.Main conclusionsUnderstanding the habitat characteristics that influence samango monkey distribution across South Africa is crucial for prioritizing critical habitat for this species. Our results indicated that large, contiguous patches of tall‐canopy indigenous forest are fundamental to samango monkey persistence. As such, protected area expansion of large forest patches and creation of forest corridors are identified as key conservation interventions for this species.

Highlights

With the accelerated conversion of land for agriculture and urbanization coinciding with the rising global human population, loss and fragmentation of natural habitat are occurring at an unprecedented rate (Estrada et al, 2017; Haddad et al, 2015)
Natural habitat loss leads to fragmentation, creating smaller and more isolated patches of suitable habitat separated by a matrix of unsuitable or human-modified habitat (Fahrig, 2003; Haddad et al, 2015)
Our study investigated habitat selection at the 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th- order (Johnson, 1980) of the endangered samango monkey in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

With the accelerated conversion of land for agriculture and urbanization coinciding with the rising global human population, loss and fragmentation of natural habitat are occurring at an unprecedented rate (Estrada et al, 2017; Haddad et al, 2015). In southern Africa, natural habitats are decreasing due to anthropogenic conversion of land for agriculture and urbanization (Friedmann & Daly, 2004; Kingdon et al, 2012), meaning samango monkeys must exist in isolated or semi-isolated forest fragments with little or no connectivity between patches (Dalton et al, 2015; Lawes et al, 2000; Linden et al, 2016; Swart & Lawes, 1996). This is further compounded by the poor dispersal capabilities of samango monkeys and their reluctance to traverse open ground (Lawes, 1992, 2002; Lawes et al, 2000). Due to the risk associated with human settlements (Nowak et al, 2017; Wimberger et al, 2017), samango monkeys should avoid areas close to human settlements across all orders of selection

| METHODS

Findings

| DISCUSSION