A photogrammetric method to evaluate nutritional status without capture in habituated free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata): a pilot study

The quantification of nutritional status (e.g., total body fat) of animals is difficult, because the linear dimension (body length) required for the calculation of proxy parameters, such as the physique or body mass indices, cannot be measured without capture. One solution is photogrammetry of body...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Primates 2012-01, Vol.53 (1), p.7-11
Main Authors: Kurita, Hiroyuki, Suzumura, Takafumi, Kanchi, Fujio, Hamada, Yuzuru
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal Ecology
Animals
Anthropometry - instrumentation
Anthropometry - methods
Behavioral Sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Body fat
Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Female
Japan
Life Sciences
Macaca
Macaca - physiology
Monkeys & apes
News and Perspectives
Nutrition
Nutritional Status
Photogrammetry
Photogrammetry - instrumentation
Photogrammetry - methods
Photogrammetry - veterinary
Pilot Projects
Regression Analysis
Zoology
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Summary:The quantification of nutritional status (e.g., total body fat) of animals is difficult, because the linear dimension (body length) required for the calculation of proxy parameters, such as the physique or body mass indices, cannot be measured without capture. One solution is photogrammetry of body length, provided the following two criteria are met: (1) the camera axes and subject are oriented vertically, and (2) anatomical landmarks are easily identified with low measurement error. By modifying Mori’s (Primates 20:371–397, 1979 ) approach, we devised an accurate photogrammetric method that uses a horizontal bar with an attached ruler for the monkey to traverse, and the anatomical landmarks of the eye and upper border of the ischial callosity to measure body length. We tested the applicability of this method on 11 adult female, habituated, free-ranging Japanese macaques ( Macaca fuscata ). Somatometric body length (crown–rump length and anterior trunk length) was statistically compared with the body length obtained using photogrammetry. The significant correlation of the photogrammetric body length with each somatometric measurement verified that the former could be employed to calculate various indices that are used to characterize fat mass (nutritional status) in Japanese macaques. The advantages and disadvantages of photogrammetry are also discussed.
ISSN:0032-8332
1610-7365
DOI:10.1007/s10329-011-0280-4