Nest groups of wild bonobos at Wamba: selection of vegetation and tree species and relationships between nest group size and party size

Mbangi Mulavwa · Kumugo Yangozene · Mikwaya Yamba‐Yamba · Balemba Motema‐Salo · Ndunda Mwanza · Takeshi Furuichi

96 citations0/0 files storedAmerican Journal of Primatology

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Primate Behavior and Ecology Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies

Abstract

We examined the location of nest groups, spatial distribution of nests within a nest group, and attributes of individual nests of wild bonobos at Wamba, Democratic Republic of Congo. We also examined the seasonal factors influencing nesting behavior and compared the nest group size with the 1 hr party size during daytime. We defined a nest group to be a cluster of nests that were built in the same evening and found within 30 m from the other nearest nest. Examination of the largest gap within a nest group suggested that 30 m was an acceptable cutoff value. Monthly rainfall or fruit abundance did not significantly influence the monthly mean nest group size. Nests were built in the swamp forest for as many as 13% observation days, suggesting the need for reevaluation of the use of swamp forest by bonobos. The use of swamp forest was influenced not by seasonal rainfall or fruit abundance, but by the fruiting of specific species. Preferred tree species for building nests accounted for 19.8% of standing trees, which suggested that the selection of sleeping sites was not largely restricted by the distribution of specific species. The mean 1 hr party size was almost identical through the day and was similar to the mean nest group size. Parties of bonobos sometimes split into smaller nest groups, especially when feeding on non-preferred fruits during fruit scarcity. By contrast, when feeding on preferred fruits while ranging in large parties, they often aggregated to form even larger nest groups. When sleeping in small- or middle-sized nest groups, they tended to aggregate the next morning. These tendencies may reflect the gregarious nature of bonobos who prefer to range or sleep together as far as circumstances allow.

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2014Nest Grouping Patterns of Bonobos (Pan paniscus) in Relation to Fruit Availability in a Forest-Savannah Mosaic 2018Sleep and nesting behavior in primates: A review 2015Habitat use of bonobos ( Pan paniscus ) at Wamba: Selection of vegetation types for ranging, feeding, and night‐sleeping 2012Preliminary bonobo and chimpanzee nesting by habitat type in the northern L ac T umba L andscape, D emocratic R epublic of C ongo 2012A Thermodynamic Comparison of Arboreal and Terrestrial Sleeping Sites for Dry‐Habitat Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at the Toro‐Semliki Wildlife Reserve, Uganda

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