Topographic effects on spatial data at a Japanese macaque study site

In mountainous topography, actual travel distances and home range areas are larger than those measured on a flat map. This paper analyzed the increase in spatial measures that occurred when topography was taken into account for data collected at a mountainous study site of the Japanese macaque. Both travel distances and home range areas increased when measured on a computerized terrain model compared to those measured on a flat map. The travel distance changes varied among troops as well as individual travel routes.