Lemur catta in the Region of Cap Sainte-Marie, Madagascar: Introduced cacti, xerophytic Didiereaceae-Euphorbia bush, and tombs

This is the first study to document the natural history of <italic>Lemur catta</italic>, ring-tailed lemurs, outside of gallery forest environments: in xerophytic Didiereaceae-<italic>Euphorbia</italic>, bush habitat that represents over 90% of this species' potential range. Moreover, this study is the first to document ring-tailed lemurs, or any primate species for that matter, as cactus dwellers. Data were collected for 15 consecutive months on two different troops in the Cap Sainte-Marie: CSM) area, which is Madagascar's southernmost region. All-day follows, nutritional analyses, and health assessments were the methods used to test hypotheses on the following themes: a) behavioral flexibility, b) ecology, health, and nutrition, c) the shared use of space with humans, and d) the utilization of nonnative species. Significant findings include: extremely large home ranges, highly social and spatially cohesive: juvenile centered) groups, coexistence with Antandroy villagers, and diverse diets comprised of native species despite the population's adaptation to <italic>Opuntia monacantha</italic> and <italic>Opuntia stricta</italic>. Based on these findings, I suggest that <italic>L. catta</italic> have historically been present in the CSM region, but that this population likely persists here today only because of the presence of <italic>Opuntia</italic>.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Anthropology

Year dc:date.available

2011

Author dc:creator

• Kelley, Elizabeth

Contributors dc:contributor

• Robert Sussman

• Physical Anthropology
• Behavioral Sciences
• Antandroy
• Cap Sainte-Marie
• Lemur catta
• Madagascar
• Opuntia
• sacred forests

Language dc:language

English (en)

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7936/K708639J

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:openscholarship.wustl.edu:etd-1175