Primates as Leopards Prey in Western Soutpansberg, South Africa

Predation has been considered a very important selective force in the evolution of primate behaviour. While the advantages of group living in intergroup competition are well documented in several species, few studies have established the intensity of predation on primates. Our studies aimed to reduce this lack of information by investigating leopard (Panthera pardus) predation on the primate species living in the Western Soutpansberg, South Africa. This research was carried out using traditional scat analysis, to determine the occurrence of primates in the diet of leopards, and camera trapping, to evaluate availability of primate species in the area and leopard’s selectivity for those species. We also analyzed the correlation between leopard activity patterns and those of the primates. The study was based at Lajuma Research Centre in an area of 23.12 km 2 . Data collection covered a 252-day-period between October 2008 and July 2009. We positioned 20 camera traps, and their layout covered all the different habitats: mistbelt forest, thicket, savannah and grassland biomes. Analysis of 100 scats showed remains of 103 prey belonging to 16 species. Primate species represented 29.12% of the leopards’ diet. The Jacobs’ index shows a positive selection for vervet monkeys ( Chlorocebus pygerythrus ; D = 0.81) and Sykes’ monkeys ( Cercopithecus mitis ; D = 0.92) and a negative selection for chacma baboons ( Papio ursinus ; D = –0.90). Leopards were primarily active during twilight and this allowed the hunting of vervet monkeys while they were still foraging on the ground, with fewer chances to detect the predator. Our results showed that the leopard is the main predator of vervet monkeys in Southern Africa, in both forested and open habitats. The leopard hunting pressure on chacma baboon in Soutpansberg is slightly bigger than in the savannah, but in agreement with previous studies.