Impact of Park Ranger Quality on Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mt. Huangshan, China
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC 201
Start Date
16-5-2013
End Date
16-5-2013
Abstract
Previous studies have reported negative impacts on nonhuman primates and tourists at various primate tourism sites and advocate the improvement of tourism management. Yet, it remains unclear what constitutes good quality management. We explored whether rates of macaque aggression and stress levels differed under supervision of different park rangers at Valley of the Wild Monkeys (VWM) in Anhui Province, China. We hypothesized that lower levels of macaque aggression and self-directed behaviors (SDBs) would be observed if park rangers enforced park rules. Behaviors of tourists, park rangers, and monkeys were collected from August 16 to September 30, 2012. Rates of macaque aggression and SDBs were compared across different park rangers. At VWM, two pairs of park rangers interchangeably provisioned a group of macaques on a monthly basis. Our results showed that rates of monkey aggression and stress-related behaviors did not differ significantly among different park ranger conditions. We compared the first and second week rates of macaque aggression and stress-related behaviors post-alternation of park rangers for August and September. Our results showed that rates of aggression were not significantly different during two weeks post-alteration for both August and September, but rates of SDBs were significantly different between first and second weeks in August. Park rangers restricted tourists from interacting with the monkeys on only 8 out of 81 (9.9 percent) visiting sessions, which suggests that rangers’ interventions during tourist interactions with macaques occurred infrequently at VWM.
Recommended Citation
Usui, Rie; Li, Jin-hua; and DuVall-Lash, Alexander, "Impact of Park Ranger Quality on Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mt. Huangshan, China" (2013). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 134.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2013/oralpresentations/134
Additional Mentoring Department
Primate Behavior
Additional Mentoring Department
Primate Behaviour
Impact of Park Ranger Quality on Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Mt. Huangshan, China
SURC 201
Previous studies have reported negative impacts on nonhuman primates and tourists at various primate tourism sites and advocate the improvement of tourism management. Yet, it remains unclear what constitutes good quality management. We explored whether rates of macaque aggression and stress levels differed under supervision of different park rangers at Valley of the Wild Monkeys (VWM) in Anhui Province, China. We hypothesized that lower levels of macaque aggression and self-directed behaviors (SDBs) would be observed if park rangers enforced park rules. Behaviors of tourists, park rangers, and monkeys were collected from August 16 to September 30, 2012. Rates of macaque aggression and SDBs were compared across different park rangers. At VWM, two pairs of park rangers interchangeably provisioned a group of macaques on a monthly basis. Our results showed that rates of monkey aggression and stress-related behaviors did not differ significantly among different park ranger conditions. We compared the first and second week rates of macaque aggression and stress-related behaviors post-alternation of park rangers for August and September. Our results showed that rates of aggression were not significantly different during two weeks post-alteration for both August and September, but rates of SDBs were significantly different between first and second weeks in August. Park rangers restricted tourists from interacting with the monkeys on only 8 out of 81 (9.9 percent) visiting sessions, which suggests that rangers’ interventions during tourist interactions with macaques occurred infrequently at VWM.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Lori Sheeran, Steve Wagner