The feeding and movement ecology of yellow baboons (Papio cynocephalus) in a primate rich habitat: The Issa Valley of Western Tanzania.

Baboons are a well studied primate, with extensive data from numerous long-term field sites from various ecological contexts across Africa. Underrepresented in this sample, however, are woodland/forest population. In this thesis I investigated the diet and movement ecology in a woodland/forest population of yellow baboons (Papio cynocephalus) at the Issa valley of Ugalla, western Tanzania. I begin by describing the diet of Issa baboons using macroscopic faecal analysis. 1 show they selectively exploited the environment according to the availability of fruits, and unlike for their savannah conspecifics, there appeared to be sufficient food alternatives during periods of low fruit availability. Using day path lengths (DPL) 1 examined what factors are important in determining movement of baboons at a continental scale. Using a mixed modelling approach with data from 39 baboon troops form sub-Saharan Africa, I show factors to be important on a continental scale include plant productivity, anthropogenic influence, primate richness and group size. Next, 1 explored the movement ecology of baboons at a local scale in two ways, using baboons at Issa. First I examined the DPL and Path Trajectories (PTs: speed and tortuosity) where I find they moved slower and over shorter distances on warmer days, and slower and more directly when fruit was more abundant. Second I examined patterns of space use within their home ranges (HR). I find sleep site availability and habitat type significantly influence movement within HRs and that the forest habitat is avoided whilst rocky outcrops are preferred. Additionally, I find PTs were predicted by habitat type, with baboons moving faster and straighter through habitats they tended to avoid. Finally, I explored the potential for competition between baboons at Issa with sympatric chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) by comparing their diet and patterns of habitat use. I show that despite periods of high overlap in fruits consumed, competition between these primates is unlikely to be important due to key dietary differences and differential utilisation of habitat types