Date of Award

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Weber, Diana

Keywords

Primate feeding ecology, vervet monkeys, self medication

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

Studying the feeding behavior of nonhuman primates in the wild leads to a greater understanding of their behavioral ecology and has important implications for conservation. In this thesis, I documented the feeding behavior of three groups of wild vervet monkeys in Loskop Dam Nature Reserve, Mmpumalanga, South Africa from October 2009 to January 2010. I compared the diet of 51 individuals to their age, sex, rank, and endoparasitic richness. I found no significant correlations between diet and age, sex, and rank. There were significant positive correlations between feeding and endoparasites, suggesting that specific plant species are vehicles for parasites. I found significant negative correlations between feeding and endoparasites suggesting that the consumption of particular plant species treats for parasites. Vervet monkeys may have a preference for these particular plant species as a form of self-medication.

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