Resource partitioning among sympatric species of primates at Kakum Conservation Area, Ghana

We investigated how four primate species in Kakum Conservation Area (KCA) coexisted after logging shrunk their feeding resources. We used multivariate discriminant function analysis to determine whether feeding sites and food types could discriminate them. Results showed that lower canopy discriminated Cercopithecus mona and Cercopithecus petaurista; middle canopy, C. petaurista and Procolobus verus; upper canopy P. verus and Colobus polykomos; seed C. polykomos; fruit, P. verus. Variations in seasonal and zonal selections of feeding sites and food types were significant at the 0.05 level. Primates selected upper canopy, flower and fruit more in rainy season (mean abundance ± se = 14.45±1.2, 10.21±0.53, 17.69±0.7) than in dry season (9.32±0.67, 8.11±0.52, 12.58±0.54); middle canopy and seed more in dry season (13.17±0.12 and 16.7±0.84) than rainy season (8.07±0.53 and 8.43±0.6), respectively. Upper and middle canopies and seed were more selected at the park’s centre (mean abundance ± se = 14.3±1.57, 12.8±1.06 and 16.83±1.16, respectively); and lower canopy, periphery (16.98±1.42). C. polykomos selected the park’s centre mostly (16.6±2.4); C. petaurista, inner (16.9±1.2); and C. mona, periphery (14.7±1.3). Selection by C. polykomos reduced from the park’s centre (mean abundance ± se = 16.6±2.4) through inner (10.5±0.2) to periphery (6.6±1.6); but selection by C. mona reduced from periphery (14.7±1.3) through inner (12.2±1.3) to centre (11.2±1.6). C. petaurista and P. verus appeared to be forest generalists. Seasonal and spatial variations, resource variability and forest conditions facilitated resource partitioning to allow co-existence. Strict measures are required at KCA to facilitate forest regeneration to conserve the primates.   Key words: Conservation, monkeys, resource-shrunk, co-existence, reserve, forest, regeneration.