Lepilemur petteri latrine placement in Tsimanampetsotse National Park, Madagascar

Abstract

Latrine behaviour in lemurs has been interpreted as a means of olfactory communication linked to energy efficient resource defence against neighbouring individuals and/or social bonding within social groups. For social bonding, latrines might best be placed at the core of home ranges, while resource defence could be based on defending the most important part of the home range, i.e., the core area or by establishing olfactory landmarks at the periphery of the home range. Most studies on lemurs describe deposition of urine and faeces in latrines in the core of the home range. In a study at the limit of the distributional range of Lepilemur petteri, at a site with unpredictable weather conditions, we radio-tracked 12 individuals and located latrines within their home ranges. In our study, latrines were located at the periphery of the home ranges. This is interpreted as a means to defend a larger area rather than specific resource rich sites that may or may not provide food in a given year. Regardless of the flexible spatial pattern, and in common with other mammals, lemur latrines are characterized by conspicuous trees, even though urine and faeces are deposited at the base of trees. This indicates some kind of optimal structure of latrines to convey information most effectively, possibly by combining visual and olfactory cues.