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Macalester College

Publication Date

Spring 2014

Program Name

Madagascar: Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management

Abstract

This study of Daubentonia madagascariensis behavior, diet, and range was conducted during the late rainy season in the Sangasanga and Tsiazon'amboa rainforest fragments of the Kianjavato Classified Forest near the village Kianjavato in the Ambositra–Vondrozo Forest Corridor in eastern Madagascar. Research was conducted under the guidance and with the assistance of the Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership. Though multiple studies have described the behavior of juvenile D. madagascariensis individuals in captivity, few researchers have followed them into their natural habitat. In this study, behavioral observations and GPS data were collected and analyzed for a mother Daubentonia madagascariensis individual and her infant when he was present during 12 nocturnal follows. Behavioral data was collected through behavior scans every 5 minutes, along with types of food consumed to find the diet composition. GPS data was collected every 20 minutes. Ad libitum behavior data was collected on juvenile behavior and vocalizations. I recorded behavioral and food data that support previous studies on aye-aye behavior and preferred foods. I found the home range as 14.7 ha using the collected GPS data. The juvenile did not appear to forage with his mother as much as might be suggested by his young age. I suggest further studies of more and younger juveniles in the wild, as well as continued study on the juvenile mentioned here as he moves into adulthood and other potential study topics.

Disciplines

Animal Sciences | Behavior and Ethology | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

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