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Chapter 16 - Primate Ecology: From Forests into Savannas

from Part IV - Evolutionary Transitions: From Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2021

Norman Owen-Smith
Norman Owen-Smith
Affiliation:
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
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Summary

This chapter describes how most primates seek fruits, some still unripe, and fall back on vegetative plant parts or acacia gum, supplemented by some animal matter, when fruits are unavailable. Baboons fall back on underground plant parts during the dry season. Chimpanzees hunt animals opportunistically, while gorillas are strictly vegetarian. Home ranges traversed in savannas are larger than those covered in forests. All primates evade predation by sleeping up in trees or on cliffs overnight. Primate life histories lengthened relative to those of similar-sized ungulates due to their larger brains. Hence mortality losses must be restricted and lifespans extended to compensate. Primate populations are regulated by social interactions and infanticide.

Keywords

Fruits vs foliageanimal matterhome rangesantipredator responseslife history patternssocial regulation
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Chapter
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Only in Africa
The Ecology of Human Evolution
 , pp. 253 - 270
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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References

Suggested Further Reading

Boesch, C; Boesch-Achermann, H. (2000) The Chimpanzees of the Taï Forest: Behavioural Ecology and Evolution. Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Hohmann, G, et al. (eds). (2006) Feeding Ecology in Apes and Other Primates. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Schaller, GB. (1963) The Mountain Gorilla. University of Chicago Press, Chicago.Google Scholar

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