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Botanical and Topographical Factors Influencing Nesting-Site Selection by Chimpanzees in Kalinzu Forest, Uganda

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Abstract

We examined the relative importance of various botanical and topographical factors that influence nesting-site selection by chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Kalinzu Forest of Uganda. All of them—vegetation type; topographical features; frequency of preferred tree species; frequency of preferred tree size; fruit abundance—significantly influenced nesting-site selection. Fruit abundance and vegetation type had much stronger influences on site selection than the other factors did. In a dense forest environment like the Kalinzu Forest, the local and seasonal distributions of chimpanzee nests seem to reflect the pattern of home range use for feeding.

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Correspondence to Takeshi Furuichi.

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Furuichi, T., Hashimoto, C. Botanical and Topographical Factors Influencing Nesting-Site Selection by Chimpanzees in Kalinzu Forest, Uganda. International Journal of Primatology 25, 755–765 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:IJOP.0000029121.25284.7f

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:IJOP.0000029121.25284.7f

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