Evaluating home range techniques: use of Global Positioning System (GPS) collar data from chacma baboons

Area of Science:

• Primate Ecology
• Spatial Ecology
• Animal Tracking Technologies

Background:

• Global Positioning System (GPS) collars offer advanced spatial ecology insights.
• Few primate studies have utilized GPS collar technology for tracking.
• Chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus) present unique challenges for tracking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of GPS collars for tracking a free-ranging chacma baboon.
• To determine accurate home range estimations for a juvenile male chacma baboon.
• To evaluate different home range calculation methods and parameters.

Main Methods:

• A juvenile male chacma baboon was fitted with a self-releasing GPS collar.
• Movement data were collected over 359 days, achieving a 74.4% fix acquisition rate.
• Home range was calculated using Minimum Convex Polygon, Kernel-Density Estimation (KDE), and Local Convex Hull methods.

Main Results:

• GPS collar provided 4254 fixes with high accuracy (73.7% 3D, 66.9% high precision).
• Kernel-Density Estimation (KDE) with all data points best represented the home range (15.4–18.8 km²).
• The ad hoc smoothing parameter selection technique proved superior for this dataset.

Conclusions:

• GPS collars are effective tools for primate spatial ecology research.
• Standardized reporting of GPS collar tools, screening protocols, and smoothing parameters is essential for comparative studies.
• Accurate home range estimations require careful method and parameter selection in primate research.