THE ROLE OF EXOTIC PLANT SPECIES IN THE DIET OF RUFFED LEMURS (VARECIA VARIEGATA VARIEGATA) AT MANOMBO FOREST IN MADAGASCAR |
| J. H. Ratsimbazafy SUNY Stony Brook, NY, Dept. of Anthropology, SUNY at Stony Brook, SBS, 5th floor, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-4364, USA |
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| Studies of the diets of two groups of black-and-white ruffed lemurs were conducted from June 1996 to July 2000 at Manombo forest, a highly disturbed habitat in southeastern Madagascar. On January 24, 1997 Manombo was hit by cyclone Gretelle for a 12-hour period with winds over 245 km per hour, causing extensive damage. Three years later, potential invasive plants invaded about 40% of the forest. Because 85% of the endemic species are still suffering from the effects of such disturbance, two of these alien species (Clidemia hirta and Cecropia peltata) became major foods for the Varecia v. variegata at Manombo. Clidemia hirta provided fruits twelve months a year and was eaten at all seasons and Cecropia peltata was consumed from the months of January to June. During the whole study, I recorded a total of eighty-three food species used by Varecia v. variegata. Overall, 37.94% of the total amount of feeding time was spent only on those two species. The survival of ruffed lemurs in this highly altered habitat seems to be related mainly to the availability of fruits of these exotic plant species. |
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