Abstract
We present new data on the ingestion of minerals from termite mound soil by East African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii)
living in the Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda, the Gombe National Park
and the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania. Termite mound soil is
here shown to be a rich source of minerals, containing high
concentrations of iron and aluminum. Termite mound soil is not, however,
a source of sodium. The concentrations of iron and aluminum are the
highest yet found in any of the mineral sources consumed. Levels of
manganese and copper, though not so high as for iron and aluminum, are
also higher than in other dietary sources. We focus on the contribution
of termite mound soil to other known sources of mineral elements
consumed by these apes, and compare the mineral content of termite soil
with that of control forest soil, decaying wood, clay, and the normal
plant‐based chimpanzee diet at Budongo. Samples obtained from Mahale
Mountains National Park and Gombe National Park, both in Tanzania, show
similar mineral distribution across sources. We suggest three distinct
but related mechanisms by which minerals may come to be concentrated in
the above‐mentioned sources, serving as potentially important sources of
essential minerals in the chimpanzee diet.
Original language | English |
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Article number | e978 |
Journal | American Journal of Primatology |
Volume | Early View |
Early online date | 14 May 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 14 May 2019 |
Keywords
- Chimpanzees
- Diet
- Geography
- Pan troglodytes
- Tanzania
- Termite mound soil
- Minerals
- Uganda