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HABITAT USE BY Propithecus v. verreauxi
An investigation into the habitat use by Vereaux’s sifaka was conducted with the aim of examining the spatial association between the forest tree species and the lemur. One Durham student accompanied by a technician from Parc Tsimbazaza and a local Ombiasa searched for groups of lemurs between 0730-0930 and 1500-1730. On locating a group the team would identify the tree(s) on which the lemurs were resting at the time of first sighting. The following variables would then be recorded: Time of sighting, number of lemurs using tree, Species (Identified by the Ombiasa), girth at breast height, phenology, status as a lemur food plant or not. Then the Point Centred Quarter method would be used to determine the tree density and canopy basal area of the trees surrounding the sample tree, variables recorded for the nearest tree (gbh>10cm) were: species (food or not) gbh, distance from sample tree and phenology. The base of each of the five sample trees was searched for lemur faeces and if found was collected for subsequent analysis. This procedure was completed for 20 trees in the morning, 20 trees in the afternoon and twenty randomly selected trees.
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