Anthropogenic effects on activity patterns and vigilance in Cape chacma baboons (Papio ursinus ursinus) in the Garden Route, South Africa
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities shape animals’ time allocation and risk perception, yet their immediate behavioural impacts on primate species remain poorly quantified. In this study, variation in activity budgets and vigilance was analysed in three Cape chacma baboon ( Papio ursinus ursinus ) troops inhabiting contrasting anthropogenic environments in South Africa’s Garden Route: Madiba (high disturbance), North (intermediate disturbance), and Outeniqua (low disturbance). From March to June 2024, a total of 84 h of observations were recorded yielding 343 scan samples, and behaviour was modelled as a function of troop and environmental covariates (weather, habitat openness, car and human presence). Feeding dominated overall time allocation (35.4%), with no whole-budget differences among troops, but behaviour-specific contrasts emerged. The Outeniqua troop relied less on human-derived foods and showed lower running frequencies than troops in more anthropogenic environments. High intensity vigilance (active/intense scanning) was also elevated in Madiba and North troops compared to Outeniqua, although this pattern was sensitive to dataset composition and should be interpreted with caution. Environmental models revealed that anthropogenic disturbance primarily affected vigilance behaviour, while associations with feeding, locomotion, and affiliative behaviours were weaker and more context dependent. These responses were further modulated by habitat openness and weather conditions. Overall, these results indicate that anthropogenic disturbance affects primate behaviour through fine-scale adjustments rather than broad changes in activity budgets, highlighting context-dependent trade-offs between foraging, vigilance, and social interactions. These findings provide insights into how primates respond to human-modified environments and inform the management of human–wildlife interactions.
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BibTeX
@article{dany2026anthropogenic,
title = {{Anthropogenic effects on activity patterns and vigilance in Cape chacma baboons (Papio ursinus ursinus) in the Garden Route, South Africa}},
author = {S. Dany and C. Lacomme and A. Guionneau and A. Ramaru and F. Prugnolle and O. Petit and Virginie Rougeron},
journal = {Global Ecology and Conservation},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04310},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05781069v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Anthropogenic effects on activity patterns and vigilance in Cape chacma baboons (Papio ursinus ursinus) in the Garden Route, South Africa
AU - S. Dany
AU - C. Lacomme
AU - A. Guionneau
AU - A. Ramaru
AU - F. Prugnolle
AU - O. Petit
AU - Virginie Rougeron
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - Global Ecology and Conservation
DO - 10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04310
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05781069v1
AB - Anthropogenic activities shape animals’ time allocation and risk perception, yet their immediate behavioural impacts on primate species remain poorly quantified. In this study, variation in activity budgets and vigilance was analysed in three Cape chacma baboon ( Papio ursinus ursinus ) troops inhabiting contrasting anthropogenic environments in South Africa’s Garden Route: Madiba (high disturbance), North (intermediate disturbance), and Outeniqua (low disturbance). From March to June 2024, a total of 84 h of observations were recorded yielding 343 scan samples, and behaviour was modelled as a function of troop and environmental covariates (weather, habitat openness, car and human presence). Feeding dominated overall time allocation (35.4%), with no whole-budget differences among troops, but behaviour-specific contrasts emerged. The Outeniqua troop relied less on human-derived foods and showed lower running frequencies than troops in more anthropogenic environments. High intensity vigilance (active/intense scanning) was also elevated in Madiba and North troops compared to Outeniqua, although this pattern was sensitive to dataset composition and should be interpreted with caution. Environmental models revealed that anthropogenic disturbance primarily affected vigilance behaviour, while associations with feeding, locomotion, and affiliative behaviours were weaker and more context dependent. These responses were further modulated by habitat openness and weather conditions. Overall, these results indicate that anthropogenic disturbance affects primate behaviour through fine-scale adjustments rather than broad changes in activity budgets, highlighting context-dependent trade-offs between foraging, vigilance, and social interactions. These findings provide insights into how primates respond to human-modified environments and inform the management of human–wildlife interactions.
SN - 2351-9894
ER -