抄録
Although predation has likely played a central role in the evolution of primate socioecology, we currently lack a thorough understanding of how fine-scale variation in perceived predation risk affects primates’ short-term space use patterns and predator avoidance strategies. We examined the spatial and ecological characteristics of predator encounters, as well as behavioral responses to perceived predation risk, by five groups of wild white-faced capuchins (Cebus.capucinus) in Costa Rica over a 1.5 year period. Alarm-calling bouts directed at birds were more likely to originate in high forest strata, while alarm-calling bouts at snakes and terrestrial quadrupeds were more likely to originate near the ground. Relative risk maps based on the locations of predator encounters revealed that high-risk areas for birds and snakes consisted of mature, high-canopy forest, while low-risk areas for these predators consisted of relatively younger forest. We observed a general increase in vigilance behavior in more open forest, but this relationship was modulated by spatial variation in perceived risk. The animals were most vigilant near the ground and at heights exceeding 20 m, which may re.ect greater perceived exposure to snakes and terrestrial predators near the ground and to aerial predators near the top of the forest canopy. Our results suggest that capuchin monkeys in this study system experience reduced predation risk in the middle forest layers, and they adjust their vigilance behavior to small-scale spatial variation in perceived risk.
