At Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, we compare the behavior of groups that live within the protected reserve and those that include the research camp and degraded forest as part of their home range. We are discovering some important differences.
Normal Behavior
Within the reserve forest, we see normal behaviors such as:
- Foraging for leaves and fruits
- Scent-marking
Unusual Behavior
Within the camp the lemurs have added a number of unusual behaviors.
- Gazing at their reflection in windshields
- Using a tent as a slide
On-going research will compare activity budgets within both the camp and reserve habitats.