BEHAVIORAL-RESPONSES OF BARBARY MACAQUES (MACACA-SYLVANUS) TO VARIATIONS IN ENVIRONMENTAL-CONDITIONS IN ALGERIA

In this study, the behavioral responses of Barbary macaques to seasona l and interhabitat variations in resource availability were analyzed o ver an entire annual cycle. Two groups, one in an evergreen cedar-oak forest (Djurdjura) and the other in a deciduous oak forest (Akfadou), were observed. In this paper, references to data on resource availabil ity published elsewhere are made. Time budget has been studied. Variat ions in foraging and moving time, in day-range lengths, and in time mo ving in trees have been considered to estimate the variations in forag ing effort and thus energy expenditure. Great monthly variations in fo raging effort and other activities were observed in both habitats. In early spring, when resource availabilities were maximal, foraging effo rt was low while monkeys maximized their feeding time (about 5 h/day). In June, during the peak of the birth season and the rearing period, monkeys minimized their feeding time to the benefit of social interact ions (to 1.6-2.7 h/day), whatever the food availability, which was low in Akfadou and high in Djurdjura. In addition, foraging effort remain ed low in Djurdjura, while it increased in Akfadou. Thus, at the begin ning of the dry summer period, monkeys in Akfadou were in a less favor able position than those in Djurdjura. At both sites, in periods of fo od shortage in summer or in winter, monkeys displayed two different st rategies. In the former case, their foraging effort increased, while i n the second one it remained relatively low. Whatever the foraging eff ort, monkeys did not reach the same amount of feeding time as in early spring. In the poorest site of Akfadou, foraging effort was globally greater than in the richest site of Djurdjura, especially for adults. At both sites, adult males spent more time feeding than juveniles and less time in social interactions. Results are discussed according to r earing period, temperatures, and day length constraints. The limits of adaptability to different habitats are considered in light of the dem ographic parameters. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.