Reproductive behaviour and habitat use in the Blue-Eyed Black Lemur (Eulemur flavifrons, Gray, 1867) at the Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park, Madagascar.
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Date
2009
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Abstract
The critically endangered blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur flavifrons) is one the leaststudied
day active lemurs because of the recent rediscovery and limited distribution.
This thesis examined the habitat use, reproductive parameters and the population
viability of the blue-eyed black lemur population at Ankarafa Forest, Sahamalaza-Iles
Radama National Park, Madagascar. The main aim was to gather fundamental
information on the natural history of the blue-eyed black lemur and to propose
conservation approaches for both the species and its habitat. Data were collected over
14 month-period between 2006 and 2008. Six groups of the blue-eyed black lemur
were studied, four of which were collared and two uncollared.
Ankarafa Forest, the largest forest blocks of the Sahamalaza-Iles Radama
National Park, is dominated mainly by Mangifera indica, Garcinia pauciflora,
Sorindeia madagascariensis, Grangeria porosa, Bambou sp. and Mascarenhasia
arborescens species. The forest is vulnerable to degradation by both anthropogenic
activities and abiotic factors. The population density of the blue-eyed black lemur at
Akarafa Forest was estimated to be 97.3 individuals km-², with group size ranging
from 4 to 11 individuals. The home range use and day path length of the blue-eyed
black lemur varied seasonally. The lemur occupied a larger home range in the dry
season than in the wet season. The age of first reproduction in the blue-eyed black
lemurs is about 3 years. They bear offspring seasonally (late August-October), all
adult females in groups bred and females produce singletons offspring. Females were
dominant over males. The sex-ratio at birth was male-biased but not significantly
different from 1:1. Females were the primary caretakers of infants but group members
other than the mother also provided alloparental care. For the first 3 weeks of life,
infants were carried constantly on their mothers’ bellies. Infants developed
independent locomotion and fed on solid food by 10 weeks. Increased probability of
extinction, as shown by population viability models of the blue-eyed black lemur
population, is affected by various of their reproductive parameters. However, these do
not account for changes in their primary habitat forest. The latter is under increased
human pressure and continues to decline in area. Education awareness and community
involvement are required if the habitat and the blue-eyed black lemur are to survive.
Findings of this study serve not only important data to understand the life
history of the blue-eyed black lemur but also suggest conservation approaches for
both the species and its natural habitat.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009.
Keywords
Eulemur--Ecology--Madagascar., Eulemur--Habitat--Madagascar., Eulemur--Reproduction., Eulemur--Population viability analysis--Madagascar., Eulemur--Conservation--Madagascar., Eulemur--Habitat--Conservation--Madagascar., Theses--Zoology.