Habitat selection of samango monkeys

Aim: As habitat loss continues to accelerate with global human
population growth, identifying landscape characteristics that influence
species occurrence is a key conservation priority in order to prevent
global biodiversity loss. In South Africa, the arboreal samango monkey
(Cercopithecus albogularis sp.) is threatened due to loss and
fragmentation of the indigenous forests it inhabits. The aim of this study
was to determine the habitat preferences of the samango monkey at
different spatial scales, and to identify key conservation areas to inform
management plans for this species.  Location: This study
was carried out in the western Soutpansberg Mountains, which represents
the northernmost population of samango monkeys within South Africa, and
the only endangered subspecies (C. a. schwarzi). Methods: We used
sequentially collected GPS points from two samango monkey groups followed
between 2012 – 2017 to quantify the used and available habitat for this
species within the western Soutpansberg Mountains. We developed
2nd (selection of ranging area), 3rd (selection within
range) and 4th(feeding site selection) order resource selection functions
(RSFs) to identify important habitat features at each scale. Through scale
integration, we identified three key conservation areas for samango
monkeys across Limpopo Province, South Africa. Results: Habitat
productivity was the most important landscape variable predicting
probability of use at each order of selection, indicating the dependence
of these arboreal primates on tall-canopy indigenous forests. Critical
habitat across Limpopo was highly fragmented, meaning complete isolation
between subpopulations is likely.  Main
Conclusions: Understanding the habitat characteristics that
influence samango monkey distribution across South Africa is crucial for
prioritising critical habitat for this species. Our results indicated that
large, contiguous patches of tall-canopy indigenous forest are fundamental
to samango monkey persistence. As such, protected area expansion of large
forest patches and creation of forest corridors are identified as key
conservation interventions for this species.