Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.2
3.0
Journals
Animals
Special Issues
Living with Non-human Primates: Conflicts, Perceptions and Coexistence
share announcement

Living with Non-human Primates: Conflicts, Perceptions and Coexistence

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Human-Animal Interactions, Animal Behaviour and Emotion".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 10269

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Birthe (Bibi) Linden

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt, Limpopo Province, South Africa
2. Chair in Biodiversity Value and Change, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, Limpopo Province, South Africa
Interests: effects of habitat fragmentation on primate populations (including linear infrastructure, direct interactions/conflicts, population genetics, ranging behavior); behavioral ecology (including seed dispersal); forest conservation
Prof. Dr. Sue W. Margulis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Animal Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY 14208, USA
2. Department of Biology, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY 14208, USA
Interests: environmental effects on behavior; primate behavior; reproductive physiology; stress effects

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Human population expansion and anthropogenic landscape change continue to encroach on remaining wild spaces, increasing human–primate interactions in competition for limited resources. It has been shown that the behavioral flexibility of many primate species enables them to exploit novel spaces and food resources in anthropogenic habitats. If humans experience a direct cost from the presence and actions of primates, such interactions are referred to as conflicts and include crop foraging (in subsistence or commercial farmland), household/garden foraging (in urban, protected/tourist, and rural areas), damage to property/infrastructure or livestock injury or loss. Such conflicts can result in negative attitudes towards primates and harmful or lethal conflict responses, making this an important conservation issue.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, entitled “Living with non-human primates: conflicts, perceptions, coexistence”, which aims to explore these main aspects to further our understanding of this complex topic and help identify viable solutions and novel approaches for co-existence.

We welcome contributions that report on the nature of human–primate conflicts, particularly (but not exclusively) from understudied geographies and species; contributions investigating human perceptions and beliefs concerning primates and how these may influence responses to conflicts; and contributions reporting on viable and sustainable conflict solutions to facilitate human–primate coexistence.

In this Special Issue, original research articles, short communications, commentaries, case reports and reviews are welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Birthe (Bibi) Linden
Prof. Dr. Sue W. Margulis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • human–primate conflict
  • human perceptions
  • conflict solutions
  • human–primate coexistence
  • anthropogenic impacts
  • ethnoprimatology

Published Papers (7 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

23 pages, 3242 KiB  
Article
Healing Hanuman’s Army: Veterinary Care as a Core Component of One Health Principles in a Southeast Asian Monkey Forest
by James E. Loudon, Michaela E. Howells, Christopher A. Wolfe, I. Nyoman Buana, Wayan Buda, I. Nengah Wandia, I. Gusti Agung Arta Putra, Meghan Patterson and Agustín Fuentes
Animals 2024, 14(1), 117; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010117 - 28 Dec 2023
Viewed by 956
Abstract
Wildlife that inhabit urban landscapes face the dual challenge of negotiating their positions in their group while navigating obstacles of anthropogenically modified landscapes. The dynamics of urban environments can result in novel injuries and mortalities for these animals. However, these negative impacts can [...] Read more.
Wildlife that inhabit urban landscapes face the dual challenge of negotiating their positions in their group while navigating obstacles of anthropogenically modified landscapes. The dynamics of urban environments can result in novel injuries and mortalities for these animals. However, these negative impacts can be mitigated through planning, and onsite veterinary care like that provided by the Ubud Monkey Forest in Bali, Indonesia. We examined 275 recorded injuries and mortalities among six social groups of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) brought to the veterinary clinic from 2015–2018. We fit the probabilities of injury vs. death among macaques brought to the clinic using a multilevel logistic regression model to infer the relationship between injury vs. death and associated demographic parameters. Males were more likely to sustain injuries and females were more likely to die. The frequency of injuries and mortalities changed over the four-year study period, which was reflected in our model. The odds of mortality were highest among young macaques and the odds of injury vs. mortality varied across the six social groups. We categorized injuries and mortalities as “natural” or “anthropogenic”. Most injuries and mortalities were naturally occurring, but powerlines, motorized vehicles, and plastic present ongoing anthropogenic threats to macaque health. Most wounds and injuries were successfully treated, with healthy animals released back to their group. We suggest other sites with high levels of human–alloprimate interplays consider the Ubud Monkey Forest veterinary office as a model of care and potentially adopt their approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Living with Non-human Primates: Conflicts, Perceptions and Coexistence)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 2747 KiB  
Article
Knowledge, Beliefs, and Experience Regarding Slow Lorises in Southern Thailand: Coexistence in a Developed Landscape
by Luke F. Quarles, Juthapathra Dechanupong, Nancy Gibson and K. A. I. Nekaris
Animals 2023, 13(20), 3285; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13203285 - 21 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1783
Abstract
Natural landscapes are being converted for agriculture and other human uses across Asia and this development presents potential threats for specialist species of primates, like the Endangered slow lorises of Thailand (Nycticebus bengalensis and N. coucang). It is crucial to understand [...] Read more.
Natural landscapes are being converted for agriculture and other human uses across Asia and this development presents potential threats for specialist species of primates, like the Endangered slow lorises of Thailand (Nycticebus bengalensis and N. coucang). It is crucial to understand the interface between humans and slow lorises in order to conserve these primates. Local ecological knowledge provides valuable information about these cryptic nocturnal species. We conducted 36 semi-structured interviews in Khao Lak, in southern Thailand, asking (1) where slow lorises were seen, (2) what they were doing, (3) how often people see slow lorises, and (4) what people knew about them. We converted the interviews to free lists and determined the importance of key words. Our results show that the informants saw lorises frequently in six general locations: forests/trees (58%), electric wires (47%), towns/villages (36%), plantations (33%), homesteads (28%), and roads (17%). The most prominent places were forests/trees, wires, and plantations. Eleven key concepts defined local beliefs, with the most prominent being that lorises are awake at night (69%), eat fruit (42%), are not aggressive (25%), are bad omens (25%), and there used to be more of them (25%). Due to a minimal presence of persecution or exploitation of slow lorises by humans in the study area and general tolerance in the face of competition for the same resources and spaces, we suggest that, despite extensive persecution for the illegal photo prop trade in nearby Phuket, the people of Khao Lak seem to live in a state of passive coexistence with slow lorises. However, we did find some evidence that the pet and photo prop trade are still present in the area. It is crucial that coexistence be struck within the context of deforestation and urbanization so that conservation initiatives can take place within the community to further improve the lives of humans and the status of lorises. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Living with Non-human Primates: Conflicts, Perceptions and Coexistence)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1498 KiB  
Article
A Nuanced Examination of Primate Capture and Consumption and Human Socio-Economic Well-Being in Kirindy Mitea National Park, Madagascar
by Domenic Romanello, Katharine E. T. Thompson, Cortni Borgerson, Jeanne Mathilde Randriamanetsy, Niaina Nirina Mahefa Andriamavosoloarisoa, Mamy Yves Andrianantenaina, Théofrico Alexander Razafindrahasy, Claire Surkis, Patricia C. Wright, Katheryn C. Twiss and Rebecca J. Lewis
Animals 2023, 13(18), 2914; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13182914 - 14 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1262
Abstract
The futures of human and nonhuman primates are closely tied in protected areas. Understanding this interconnectedness is especially urgent in Madagascar, one of the world’s most impoverished biodiversity hotspots. Yet, no study has evaluated the relationship between poverty and lemur hunting and consumption [...] Read more.
The futures of human and nonhuman primates are closely tied in protected areas. Understanding this interconnectedness is especially urgent in Madagascar, one of the world’s most impoverished biodiversity hotspots. Yet, no study has evaluated the relationship between poverty and lemur hunting and consumption using a composite poverty metric that includes health, education, and living standards. To address this gap, and to inform primate conservation practice and policy, we administered annual surveys to 81 households over six consecutive months (September 2018 to March 2019) in a village on the border of Kirindy Mitea National Park, Madagascar. We observed extreme deprivation scores across multiple dimensions of poverty and identified ninety-five percent of households as ‘impoverished’. Of these, three-quarters (77%) of households were identified as being in ‘severe poverty’. One-fifth (19%) of all households hunted lemurs and half (49%) of households consumed lemurs. While poverty eradication is an urgent need in communities around Kirindy Mitea National Park, our findings show no relationship between poverty and lemur hunting and consumption, perhaps due to the lack of variance in poverty. Our results highlight the need to investigate other contributory factors to lemur hunting and consumption locally. Because food insecurity is a known driver of lemur hunting and consumption among the study community, and because domestic meats can be preferred over protected species, we recommend testing the efficacy of livestock interventions near Kirindy Mitea National Park. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Living with Non-human Primates: Conflicts, Perceptions and Coexistence)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 3110 KiB  
Article
Effects of Tourist and Researcher Presence on Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite Levels in Wild, Habituated Sulawesi Crested Macaques (Macaca nigra)
by Dominique A. Bertrand, Carol M. Berman, Michael Heistermann, Muhammad Agil, Uni Sutiah and Antje Engelhardt
Animals 2023, 13(18), 2842; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13182842 - 7 Sep 2023
Viewed by 1068
Abstract
Ecotourism managers and researchers often assume that apparently habituated primate groups no longer experience adverse consequences of prolonged exposure to tourists or researchers. We examined the effects of tourists and researchers on fecal glucocorticoid metabolite output (FGCM) in three critically endangered, wild crested [...] Read more.
Ecotourism managers and researchers often assume that apparently habituated primate groups no longer experience adverse consequences of prolonged exposure to tourists or researchers. We examined the effects of tourists and researchers on fecal glucocorticoid metabolite output (FGCM) in three critically endangered, wild crested macaque (Macaca nigra) groups in Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia. We assayed FGCM from 456 fecal samples collected from thirty-three adults. Tourists can walk through and among macaque groups freely. Hence, we examined the possible effects of tourists both (1) in the reserve when away and not interacting with the study groups and (2) when they were present within the macaque groups. Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) analysis indicated that when tourists were present in the forest, but not directly among the macaques, FGCM levels in the macaque tourism groups were higher in months with more tourists. When tourists were among the macaque groups, some female macaques experienced rises and subsequent postexposure decreases in FGCM levels, consistent with predictions for acute stress. Male FGCM levels increased with tourist numbers within the group. Nevertheless, they were not significantly different from levels during undisturbed or postexposure conditions. FGCM responses related to researchers in groups varied by group, sex, and tourist presence. However, the temporal patterning of FGCM responses showed little evidence of chronic stress from tourism at this site. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Living with Non-human Primates: Conflicts, Perceptions and Coexistence)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

28 pages, 5721 KiB  
Review
Human and Non-Human Primate Coexistence in Argentina: Conflicts and Solutions
by Alba García de la Chica, Luciana I. Oklander, Martin M. Kowalewski and Eduardo Fernandez-Duque
Animals 2023, 13(21), 3331; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13213331 - 26 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1876
Abstract
There are five different primate species inhabiting widely distinct ecoregions in Argentina. Each of them faces various threats in terms of conservation and conflicts that hamper their ability to coexist with human populations. We present here some of the drivers known to be [...] Read more.
There are five different primate species inhabiting widely distinct ecoregions in Argentina. Each of them faces various threats in terms of conservation and conflicts that hamper their ability to coexist with human populations. We present here some of the drivers known to be the causes of conflicts between humans and primates in the southernmost area of distribution of Latin American primates. We focus our synthesis on two of the biggest sources of conflict: the effects of different anthropogenic disturbances, and human misconceptions concerning the role of primates in the ecosystem. In each section, we briefly characterize the conflicts worldwide and then provide specific cases and examples from Argentina. In the last part of the manuscript, we further describe some ongoing national and regional educational, research, and conservation approaches to mitigate those effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Living with Non-human Primates: Conflicts, Perceptions and Coexistence)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

9 pages, 1578 KiB  
Commentary
Local Voices: Perspectives from the Local Community on the Primates of Kakamega Forest, Western Kenya
by Widava E. Ikhuluru, Malenya E. Imboma, Shikanga E. Liseche, Munayi J. Milemele, Sechero D. Shilabiga and Marina Cords
Animals 2023, 13(22), 3483; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13223483 - 11 Nov 2023
Viewed by 778
Abstract
From the perspective of a field research team comprising members of the local community near a rain forest in western Kenya, we describe the relationship between local people and local primates. Local people generally have little knowledge about the natural history of the [...] Read more.
From the perspective of a field research team comprising members of the local community near a rain forest in western Kenya, we describe the relationship between local people and local primates. Local people generally have little knowledge about the natural history of the monkeys living nearby, with people living closer to the forest knowing more. Most have a negative attitude toward monkeys because they occasionally forage on agricultural crops. A few people value monkey meat, which they believe to enhance human health. Participating in research on the behavioral ecology of blue monkeys allowed the author team to learn a great deal about these animals, including their role in the forest ecosystem and their behavioral similarities to humans. This experience differentiates their attitudes from most other members of their local community. However, the attitudes of local people are changing along with lifestyles. With more children in school and adults finding paid work, local people today generally have less experience of the forest than previous generations. A more tolerant attitude toward monkeys, recognizing their role in the forest ecosystem and their similarities to humans, is emerging among those who have been taught about biodiversity. This perspective is likely to contribute to their successful conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Living with Non-human Primates: Conflicts, Perceptions and Coexistence)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 3480 KiB  
Hypothesis
On the Fence: The Impact of Education on Support for Electric Fencing to Prevent Conflict between Humans and Baboons in Kommetjie, South Africa
by Debbie Walsh, M. Justin O’Riain, Nicoli Nattrass and David Gaynor
Animals 2023, 13(13), 2125; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13132125 - 27 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1689
Abstract
Few studies test whether education can help increase support for wildlife management interventions. This mixed methods study sought to test the importance of educating a community on the use of a baboon-proof electric fence to mitigate negative interactions between humans and Chacma baboons [...] Read more.
Few studies test whether education can help increase support for wildlife management interventions. This mixed methods study sought to test the importance of educating a community on the use of a baboon-proof electric fence to mitigate negative interactions between humans and Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in a residential suburb of the City of Cape Town, South Africa. An educational video on the welfare, conservation and lifestyle benefits of a baboon-proof electric fence was included in a short online survey. The positioning of the video within the survey was randomised either to fall before or after questions probing the level of support for an electric fence. The results showed that watching the video before most survey questions increased the average marginal probability of supporting an electric fence by 15 percentage points. The study also explored whether the educational video could change people’s minds. Those who saw the video towards the end of the survey were questioned again about the electric fence. Many changed their minds after watching the video, with support for the fence increasing from 36% to 50%. Of these respondents, the results show that being female raised the average marginal probability of someone changing their mind in favour of supporting the fence by 19%. Qualitative analysis revealed that support for or against the fence was multi-layered and that costs and concern for baboons were not the only relevant factors influencing people’s choices. Conservation often needs to change people’s behaviours. We need to know what interventions are effective. We show in the real world that an educational video can be effective and can moderately change people’s opinions and that women are more likely to change their position in light of the facts than men. This study contributes to the emerging literature on the importance of education in managing conservation conflicts and the need for evidence-based interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Living with Non-human Primates: Conflicts, Perceptions and Coexistence)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-7
Back to TopTop