Habitual ground nesting in the Bugoma Forest chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii), Uganda

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dc.contributor.authorHobaiter, Catherine
dc.contributor.authorKlein, Harmonie
dc.contributor.authorGruber, Thibaud
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-08T12:14:17Z
dc.date.available2024-02-08T12:14:17Z
dc.date.issued2024-02
dc.description.abstractWe report the presence of habitual ground nesting in a newly studied East African chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) population in the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve, Uganda. Across a 2‐year period, we encountered 891 night nests, 189 of which were classified as ground nests, a rate of ~21%. We find no preliminary evidence of socio‐ecological factors that would promote its use and highlight local factors, such as high incidence of forest disturbance due to poaching and logging, which appear to make its use disadvantageous. While further study is required to establish whether this behavior meets the strict criteria for nonhuman animal culture, we support the argument that the wider use of population and group‐specific behavioral repertoires in flagship species, such as chimpanzees, offers a tool to promote the urgent conservation action needed to protect threatened ecosystems, including the Bugoma forest. Chimpanzees of the Mwera community in the Bugoma Central Forest Reserve, Uganda, construct 21% of their overnight nests on the ground, with a further 4% at under 2 m in height. Overnight ground nests can be distinguished from flimsier structures, such as day beds, by the use of multiple interwoven structural branches. Research highlights Chimpanzees in the Bugoma Forest, Uganda, habitually employ overnight ground nests (21% of total nests, ground nests present in 25% of nest sites). We discuss a range of socio‐ecological and cultural explanations, highlighting local factors that appear to be disadvantageous for the behavior. While behavioral variation may offer a powerful tool for conservation, strict scientific thresholds for establishing cultural explanations may not be compatible with urgent conservation timelines.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipFunding information Jane Goodall Institute Switzerland; National Geographic Society, Grant/Award Number: GS‐63895R‐19; European Union's 8th Framework Program, Horizon 2020, Grant/Award Number: 802719; National Center of Competence in Research Affective Sciences ‐ Emotions in Individual Behavior and Social Processes, Grant/Award Number: PCEFP1_186832en_US
dc.identifier.citationHobaiter, Catherine, Harmonie Klein, and Thibaud Gruber. 'Habitual Ground Nesting in the Bugoma Forest Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes Schweinfurthii), Uganda', American Journal of Primatology, vol. 86/no. 2, (2024), pp. e23583-n/a.en_US
dc.identifier.issnISSN 0275-2565
dc.identifier.issnEISSN 1098-2345
dc.identifier.urihttps://nru.uncst.go.ug/handle/123456789/9403
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherWiley Subscription Services, Incen_US
dc.subjectbehavioral variation, chimpanzee, sleep, sleeping platformen_US
dc.titleHabitual ground nesting in the Bugoma Forest chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii), Ugandaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
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