DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Evaluating the Impact of Hunter Harvest on the Demography and Species Sustainability of a Multi-Species Primate Community

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The proposed dissertation is designed to provide quantitative and qualitative information on the ecological, cultural, nutritional, and economic aspects of wildlife consumption to people living adjacent to the Makira Protected Area (MPA), Madagascar. In order to properly address this multidisciplinary project, it is necessary to understand the status of wildlife through accurate population modeling and the impacts of hunter harvest on the demographics of primate communities. With additional funding from the DDIG, a stochastic, stage-structured population viability analysis (PVA) will be conducted to model both the impact of demographic-specific hunter harvest and landcover change on population trends of ten lemur species with available life history data in RAMAS GIS 5.0 (Akçakaya 2006). Other PVAs that have addressed the issue of harvest impact on mammals in developing countries have often made assumptions on the demographics of harvested populations based on expert opinion. Specifically, these models assume an even sex ratio for the harvested population and that only the adult stage is affected by harvest. Previous work in this region (Golden 2009) used a simplistic model (Robinson & Redford 1991) which made a variety of assumptions that may not reflect real-world conditions. Using funds from the DDIG, the investigator will be able to collect new data on the stage structure and sex ratio of harvested animals through participatory research with local hunters in order to construct the most data-driven population models. It is necessary to understand the impact of hunting on shaping primate community viability in Madagascar to help inform the policy interventions and conservation planning currently in motion.