Predation of artificial nests by introduced rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) in Florida, USA

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• 作者：C. Jane Anderson ; Mark E. Hostetler ; Kathryn E. Sieving…
• 关键词：Invasive ; Macaca mulatta ; Nest predation ; Rhesus macaque ; Primate
• 刊名：Biological Invasions
• 出版年：2016
• 出版时间：October 2016
• 年：2016
• 卷：18
• 期：10
• 页码：2783-2789
• 全文大小：780 KB
• 刊物类别：Biomedical and Life Sciences
• 刊物主题：Life Sciences
  Plant Sciences
  Ecology
  Hydrobiology
  Zoology
  Forestry
  
• 出版者：Springer Netherlands
• ISSN：1573-1464
• 卷排序：18

文摘

Native throughout Asia, rhesus macaques are believed to have the widest native range of any non-human primate and are capable of adapting to an extensive diversity of habitats. Rhesus macaques have caused environmental degradation in introduced habitats, including decreasing bird populations through nest predation. In the 1930s, rhesus macaques were intentionally introduced into what is today Silver Springs State Park (SSSP), central Florida, in an effort to increase tourism. Our objective was to determine whether introduced rhesus macaques in SSSP would consume eggs presented in artificial nests. We used camera traps adjacent to 100 open-cupped artificial bird nests baited with quail eggs near the Silver River. Nests were placed in shrubs and left in the field site for 12 days, representative of the incubation period of native passerine species. Twenty-one nests were depredated by rhesus macaques, nine by nest predators other than macaques, and five nests by an unidentified predator. Nests were more likely to be depredated by macaques when located in areas of high macaque relative abundance. This study suggests introduced rhesus macaques may influence nest predation rates of native bird species in natural areas.