Intergroup relations and home range use in Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi)

Abstract

Relationships between neighboring groups feature prominently in socioecological theory, but few empirical studies have focused on the effects of neighbors on the behavior of primates. Interactions between neighboring groups are most conspicuous during intergroup encounters, but the likelihood of encounters with neighbors can also affect ranging and activity patterns indirectly, and, as a result, behavioral patterns in areas of exclusive use may differ from those in overlap areas of adjacent home ranges. The aim of this study was to examine intergroup relations and spatial variation in home range use in Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) during the annual mating season. Based on 230 hr of focal animal data collected from ten members of five adjacent groups, we found that behavioral patterns and patterns of resource utilization were not markedly different between areas of exclusive use and overlap areas of adjacent home ranges. Group cohesion tended to be higher in overlap than in core areas, but the proportion of time spent resting and foraging did not differ between these two areas. However, dominant males exhibited a higher scent-marking rate in overlap areas. Observations during intergroup encounters revealed that chases between males occurred frequently, whereas fights involving physical contact were not observed. We also found that the intergroup dominance hierarchy depended on the relative group size or the number of males in each group, with groups of lower dominance rank exhibiting a tendency to sleep proportionally more often in their core areas. The results of this study suggest that in primate species with a moderate level of intergroup aggression, such as Verreaux's sifaka, the possibility of encountering neighbors in areas of home range overlap does not exert strong influence on their behavior and resource utilization.