Background
Primates have a reputation to be visual animals. However, primates do not only rely on visual information to evaluate potential food items. Non-visual stimuli such as smell, taste and touch have been reported to play a role in food selection in various primate species.
This multimodal sensory approach allows them to optimize their efficiency of food selection. Using different senses allows an animal to make an informed decision about the palatability and nutritional value of a potential food item and minimizes the risk of consuming toxic substances.
The composition of vervets’ diet differs depending on the region where the animals are located (from Senegal to Ethiopia as well as South Africa).
Some authors refer to vervet monkeys as mainly frugivores/herbivores, consuming wild fruits, flowers, leaves, seeds, and seedpods, which they help disperse. Other studies refer to the vervet monkeys as consuming additionally a variety of animal matter including arthropods, birds and bird eggs, and even small mammals into their diet.
While several studies have investigated this in captive New World primate species, the relative reliance on different senses for evaluating food edibility has rarely been examined in wild populations — particularly among Old World primates. This is where vervet monkeys provide a valuable case study, offering insight as a wild Old World primate species.
Aims
- Record and analyse the use of sensorial information (visual, tactile, olfactory and gustatory) during food evaluation.
- To investigate the dietary composition and food selection patterns of vervet monkeys by categorizing consumed food items and quantifying their frequency.
- To assess the occurrence of muzzle contact and whether it affects food selection.
- Assess whether age classes, sexes, and social groups may differ in their use of senses.
- Assess whether the familiarity of food items affects the use of senses.
