The Distribution and Fecal Analysis of Yakushima Macaques on the Conifer Forest

Abstract

A census of wild Yakushima macaque (Macaca fuscata yakui) troops was carried out in a 10.5km² area of 1, 020-1, 830m above sea level of Yakushima Island, Japan. In a 5km² area of the ecotone of broadleaf evergreen and conifer forests, troop sizes were larger (ca. 20 monkeys), and the home ranges were also larger. Troop density was about 0.7 troo ps/km². Some troops might have been provisioned by tourists. In a 5.5km² of conifer forest (1, 260-1, 830m a. s. l.), both troop size and home range size were smaller, and troop density was about 1.4-1.5tr oops/km². Fecal analysis suggests that they fed on more leaves of broadleave trees than the area of lower altitude.