PWS symposium 2023

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The Experience Of Encountering Bonobos And Its Impact On
Conservation Awareness Among Secondary Students Living Inside
And Outside A Reserved Area

1

Nahoko Tokuyama1*

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto university Name, Kyoto, Japan*

Nahoko.tokuyama.6r@kyoto-u.ac.jp

Experiences with nature and interactions with animals, especially during childhood,
are known to enhance environmental conservation awareness. Traditionally, theconservation of endangered species in tropical regions has been dominated by a "fortressconservation" approach. However, this approach restricts the natural use of the area by
local communities, leading to a loss of knowledge and interest in animals. In recent years,
there has been a growing interest in "community-based conservation," which emphasizes
the participation of local residents and aims for coexistence between wildlife and humans.
However, the impact of continued interaction with nature and animals through thisapproach on the conservation awareness of local communities has not been thoroughly
examined.
The Luo Scientific Reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo was established in1991 as a conservation area focusing on the coexistence of the endangered bonobos andthe local population. This study examined the impact of knowledge about bonobos andexperiences of encountering bonobos on conservation awareness, particularly focusing
on the younger generation. A survey using anonymous questionnaires, consisting of 34
questions related to 1) knowledge about bonobos, 2) experiences of encountering
bonobos, and 3) conservation awareness of bonobos, was conducted among students fromthree secondary schools in Wamba village and two secondary schools in the nearby
village of S.
The percentage of students who had encountered bonobos was 83% in Wamba village
and 67% in S village. Among them, 51% in Wamba village and 15% in S village had
encountered bonobos more than ten times. Seventy-eight percent of students in Wamba
village felt "happy," while 51% in S village felt the same. Conversely, 20% of students
in Wamba village felt "fearful," while 48% in S village felt the same. In response to thequestion of whether they would eat bonobos if given the opportunity, the percentage ofstudents answering "yes" was lower among students who had encountered bonobos(5.7%) compared to those who hadn't (24%) in Wamba village. In S village, students who
had more frequent encounters with bonobos were less likely to answer "yes" to the samequestion. Additionally, in Wamba village, students with more frequent encounters withbonobos were more likely to answer "I like bonobos/like them a lot."
These results suggest that the frequency of encounters with bonobos and the emotions
experienced during these encounters influence conservation awareness, although thepatterns differ between the reserve and its neighboring areas.

3

Fecal DNA metabarcoding analysis of wild snow leopard (Panthera
uncia) and sympatric mammals focusing on dietary plant species.
Hiroto Yoshimura1*, Takashi Hayakawa2,3, Dale M Kikuchi4, Kubanychbek Jumabay-Uulu5,
Huiyuan Qi1, Taro Sugimoto6, Koustubh Sharma5,7 and Kodzue Kinoshita8
1

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
3
Japan Monkey Centre, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
4
Department of Bioresource Development , Tokyo University of Agriculture, Kanagawa, Japan
5
Snow Leopard Foundation in Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
6
Institute of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Hyogo, Hyogo, Japan
7
Snow Leopard Trust, Washington, USA
8
Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto Japan2*

hrt.yoshimura@gmail.com

Felids, commonly known as cats, are the obligatory carnivores. However, they also
consume plants both in the wild and in captivity, raising questions about theirinteractions with plants. This is particularly true for the snow leopard (Panthera uncia),a big cat native to central Asia's high mountains, which has been observed to consume
plants more frequently than other members of its genus, Panthera.
Our study aimed to identify the prey and plants that snow leopards and six othermammals living in the same area consume. We used DNA metabarcoding methods on
126 scat samples collected from the Sarychat-Ertash Nature Reserve in Kyrgyzstan.
After whole scat DNA was extracted, five DNA barcode regions (12SV5 for preyvertebrates and ITS2, rbcL, trnL, ITS1 for dietary plants) were amplified by PCR andthen massively sequenced by an Illumina MiSeq. We also determined the sex of thesnow leopards based on their DNA. Probabilistic co-occurrence analysis of vertebrates
and plants was conducted to check the effect of gut contents of prey vertebrates.
Our findings show that the main prey for carnivores in this region were Siberian ibex
(Capra sibirica), Argali sheep (Ovis ammon), and marmots (Marmota baibacina).
Interestingly, Argali sheep appeared to be consumed only by male snow leopards,
although the sex difference was not statistically significant (p=0.601, 999 permutationtest). In terms of plants, the snow leopards mainly consumed species from the Poaceae,
Tamaricaceae (specifically the genus Myricaria), and Asteraceae families. We
discovered that certain plants and prey tended to appear together in the scats, suggestinga secondary consumption. However, we found that Myricaria was often present in scat
samples that lacked any DNA of animal prey, indicating that snow leopards might haveeaten this plant particularly when their digestive tract was empty. There was also asignificant difference in plant composition in scat between male and female snow
leopards (p<0.05, 999 permutation test), and possibly between sampling seasons(p=0.09, 999 permutation test).
Our research revealed a comprehensive repertoire of plants in scat of snow leopard
and sympatric mammals in the study area. This will contribute to hypothesis
formulation and determination of future research directions to understand the adaptive
significance of the plant-eating behavior of felids.

4Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Cybister rugosus and
My Research Plan in WRC
Fadel Abdurrahman Azhari1,2*, Etsuko Moritsuka3, Junko Kusumi2,3, Kunio Araya2,3, Miho
Inoue-Murayama1, Yu Sato1
1

Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
3
Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Global Society, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan2*

fadelf2@gmail.com

The aquatic beetle Cybister rugosus has a distribution range extending from Southeast
Asia to the Ryukyu Archipelago. This species was recently listed as endangered on the
Red List by the Japanese Ministry of Environment and is also designated as a specifiedclass II nationally rare species of wild fauna and flora. However, genetic information,
which is essential for endangered species to design effective conservation strategies, islimited in C. rugosus. In this study, the genetic diversity and population structure of C.
rugosus from Cambodia and the islands of the Ryukyu Archipelago were inferred byusing the COI gene and ten microsatellite markers. The results showed significant genetic
differentiation between the Japanese and Cambodian populations and pronounced
clustering in the South and Central Ryukyu populations. Based on these findings, it canbe concluded that the Japanese and Cambodian populations represent different
evolutionary significant units (ESU).
Different to undergraduate study, instead of insects, in my Master’s Course, I aim to study
a keystone species with a different methodology to expand my knowledge of conservation
genetics. Thus, for my research plan, I aim to perform whole genome analyses of Japaneseand European White-tailed eagles, Haliaeetus albicilla, which is considered as an
Endangered Species by the Ministry of Environment. I also plan to conduct a population
viability analysis (PVA) of the Japanese captive population. The research aims to infer
the population structure of White-tailed eagles, estimate their genetic diversity level, andinform the best breeding strategy of the captive population. Thus, information obtained
from this research will be useful for developing effective conservation strategies,
including the integration of in-situ and ex-situ approaches.

5

Future for sea otters in Hokkaido
Yoko Mitani1*, Natsuki Konno2, Kyohei Murayama2, Jackson Johnstone2, and Ippei Suzuki3
1

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Graduate School of Environmental Scienece, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan
3
Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Akkeshi, Hokkaido, Japan2*

mitani.yoko.3w@kyoto-u.ac.jp

Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) are members of the Mustelidae family and have arelatively recent evolutionary history (~5 Mya) compared to other marine mammals.
Historically, they were distributed continuously along the North Pacific Rim from
Hokkaido, Japan to the Baja California, Mexico. In Japan (including the Kuril Islands,
which were Japanese territory at that time), they were hunted to near extinction due tothe maritime fur trade in the 19th and early 20th centuries, before receiving protectionin 1911. Along the east coast of Hokkaido, there have been periodic sea otter sightings
after a long absence, and now they seem to be recolonizing coastal ecosystems aroundthis area. Sea otters forage for a variety of benthic invertebrates, such as sea urchins,
crabs, and shells. They consume ca. 25% of their body mass per day. Therefore, one
concern about their return are possible conflicts with fisheries, especially the sea urchinharvest. On the other hand, the sea otter is globally known as an iconic species ofhealthy coastal ecosystems and has a potential to be an important resource for tourism
in Japan as same as cases in US and Canada. Since the distribution of sea otters in Japan
continues to expand, it is necessary to find a way for humans to coexist with sea ottersand continue to share coastal ecosystem services. Therefore, we are approaching thescientific aspects of sea otter ecology by conducting visual observations and diving
surveys to clarify the relationship between sea otter habitat use, feeding ecology, andthe environment. We conducted interviews and questionnaires with stakeholders toclarify human dimensions on sea otter conservation and management. In thispresentation, we will present the results obtained so far and discuss future measures.

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Predicting wildmeat biomass from simple indicators applicable toharvest-based monitoring in a Cameroon rainforest

1

Shun Hongo1, 2*Center for African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
2
Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan*hongo.shun.8s@kyoto-u.ac.jp

Tropical forests face the wildmeat crisis and require locally-based monitoring forsustainable wildlife management. The monitoring needs simple indicators that comply
with local knowledge and accurately predict wildmeat biomass—the total biomass ofanimals targeted for hunting. This study explores indicators predicting wildmeat biomass
in a rainforest of southeast Cameroon. Employing camera traps and the Random
Encounter and Staying Time (REST) model, we estimated the spatial density variationsof five mammals (Peters’s duikers, bay duikers, blue duikers, brush-tailed porcupines andpouched rats) at three sites. We then estimated the wildmeat biomass from the estimateddensity and body mass. We also estimated the spatial variations in six candidate indicatorsfrom camera-trap capture rates. Finally, we assessed the relationships between wildmeat
biomass and each indicator. The results showed that the R/B ratio (red-to-blue duiker
ratio) and the D/R ratio (duiker-to-rodent ratio) exhibited positive linear-like correlations
to wildmeat biomass at all sites. The correlation lines were moderately similar across sites
in the R/B ratio but largely different in the D/R ratio, suggesting that the latter is
unsuitable for sharing information between neighbouring communities. Given a large
sample size, the two indicators based on captured animal composition may effectively
predict the total biomass of the main target species for local hunting. Because local
hunters are aware of depletion-related changes in the species composition of caught
animals, these indices may be effectively incorporated into harvest-based wildlife
monitoring.

7

Anti-predator strategies of adult male Central Himalayan Langurs (Semnopithecus
schistaceus) in response to domestic dogs in a human-dominated landscape
Himani Nautiyala, Hiroyuki Tanaka b, Michael A. Huffman caNational Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Indiab
Center for Ecological Research, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Aichi Japandc
Wildlife Research Center, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Aichi, Japan
Anti-predation strategies are act largely to diminish the cost of being captured by a
predator. One strategy is to emit alarm calls in the presence of predators and some primate
species are known to confront predators directly, by what is known as ‘mobbing’ or‘counterattacking. Several hypotheses regarding the benefits to males performing suchcostly behaviors have been tested in a variety of different taxa, but only a handful ofstudies have looked at this aspect in primates. We investigated four hypotheses using doglangur predation encounters in a group of 78 Central Himalayan Langur (CHL)
individuals living in a high-altitude landscape of northern India. In total, 1917 hours(mean 213 ±23.89 SE hours per male) of focal observations (15 minutes per session) of
9 adult males were recorded from May 2017 to November 2018. A total of 1,971 (mean219±37.32 SE per male) adult male langur responses were observed during 312 doglangur encounters. Study pursued Multinomial Logistic Regression analysis and an
information theory approach to examine multiple hypotheses simultaneously and. The
results showed that the likelihood of CHL adult males performing a high-cost
counterattack and alarm call over low-cost flee and/or freeze is better explained by an
integrated model (AIC=2493, weight=1) including the variables residency duration(parental care hypothesis; z=5.675; p<0.01), genetic relatedness (kin selection
hypothesis; z=-1.794; p<0.01), grooming rate (reciprocal altruism hypothesis; z=3.780;
p<0.01), rank, and mating rate (costly signaling hypothesis; z= -4.099; p<0.01). Natural
selection and kin selection have both contributed to the evolution of CHL anti-predator
tactics.

8

Oxytocin modulates group organization in free-moving horses
James Brooks1,2, Tamao Maeda2,3, Monamie Ringhofer4, Shinya Yamamoto1,2
1

Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan2
Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan3
Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, SOKENDAI, Hayama, Japan
4
Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Teikyo University of Science, Uenohara, Japan*

jamesgerardbrooks@gmail.com

The oxytocinergic system has been suggested to make up an important part of theendocrine basis of group cohesion. However, controlled studies of animals in opengroup settings have not been performed. We here investigated the impact of exogenous
intranasal oxytocin, compared to saline placebo control, on the group-level socialorganization of horses. After treatment, we recorded positional data at 1Hz frequency of
all members of 5 groups of horses (N = 58) in open field settings, and conducted social
network analysis to measure oxytocin’s effect on metrics of group cohesion. Acrossmeasures, we find oxytocin decreased social differentiation between group members,
resulting in more evenly distributed but more dispersed groups. These results reinforce
and extend oxytocin’s importance to collective behaviour and to the evolution of groupbased sociality across taxa.

9Revealing the effect of oxytocin on social relationships in semi-freeranging horses under food competition with behavioral tracking using
deep learning
China Kobayashi 1*, Gema Palacino1, James Brooks1,2 and Shinya Yamamoto1,2
1

2

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan*

kobayashi.china.42k@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Oxytocin, a hormone which is conserved across mammals, has been suggested tocontribute to the formation of bonds within groups, while possibly promoting a hostile
attitude towards outgroup. But there have been few studies investigating these effects
specifically outside a narrow range of species. The purpose of this study was to reveal theeffects of exogenous oxytocin on social relationships in a group of horses, a highly social
species which forms multilevel society in natural conditions. We intranasallyadministrated oxytocin to two groups of semi free-ranging captive horses (n=11 and 12,
respectively), and observed their social interaction around scattered hay, facilitating theobservation of competitive and cooperative relationships. We developed two main
hypotheses: (1) the general bonding hypothesis, in which oxytocin generally reducescompetition and increases cooperative behaviors. (2) the selective bonding hypothesis, inwhich oxytocin enhances existing differences, making close associates more friendly andaggressive relationships more aggressive. These hypotheses will be tested by behavioral
analyses focusing on social approach, co-feeding, and agonistic interactions between all
individuals. Using multiple animal tracking software based on deep learning, behavioral
data was collected by pose estimation of three body points (head, neck, and tailhead) of
each horse from drone movies.

10Raccoon dog invasion in Yakushima: is raccoon dog distribution
associated with risk of environmentally transmitted parasites?

1

Kenneth Keuk1*, Katherine Majewski1, and Andrew JJ MacIntosh1

Kyoto University Wildlife Research Center, Inuyama Campus, Inuyama, Japan*kenneth.keuk.57m@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Originating from the Far East, the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) has become
one of Europe's most successful invasive carnivores, posing threats to conservation andpublic health by facilitating the spread of pathogens, including zoonotic ones. Althoughnative to Japan, invasions have occurred on two locations within the archipelago sincethe 1980s: Yakushima and the Oki islands. Invasions putting at risk Yakushima's
UNESCO-protected ecosystem, previously devoid of meso-predator.
Raccoon dogs have been identified as important hosts for numerous parasites within
and outside their native range. In contrast, the last and only description of raccoon dog
parasites in Yakushima dates to 2006 from 14 individuals, and little is known aboutraccoon dogs' actual distribution on the island. To investigate how raccoon dogs shapedisease risk for other sympatric hosts in Yakushima’s western coastal forest (3.6 km²),
we estimated their abundance and its spatial variation, using latrine survey and camera
trapping in 2022. Additionally, we collected ~300 fecal samples for parasite identificationand quantification (microscopy and PCR), focusing on gastrointestinal helminths.
Preliminary analyses suggest densities of 30-40 latrines/km² and high abundance of
Toxocara tanuki (up to 7000 eggs/g) in sampled raccoon dogs feces. Results of complete
analyses will be presented, along with a test of the prediction that raccoon dog local
density and parasite abundance and richness will be positively correlated, supporting an
increased risk for other potential hosts. These include an endemic and endangered
subspecies of Japanese weasel, as well as feral cats and dogs that can further transmit
these parasites to domestic animals and humans. Yakushima provides a unique
opportunity to study invasion dynamics and explore the correlation between invasive
species ecology and disease risk. This research contributes essential knowledge toconserve this ecosystem and highlights the broader implications of invasive species on
the environment and public health.

11

Assessing the distribution and Ecology of the Bonobos of the Lomami
National Park with a Combination of Indirect Methods

1David Fasbender1*, Ohm Omene², Koko Bisimwa2 and Radar Nishuli2

Department of Primatology and Wildlife Science, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
2
Lomami Conservation Project, Frankfurt Zoological Society, Kindu, Maniema, DRC*

david.fasbender.58z@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

In 2007, surveys in what is now the Lomami National Park uncovered a surprisingly
large and expansive bonobo population extending the bonobo geographic range.
Subsequently, comparative studies using fecal samples and museum skeletons haveshown this bonobo population to be genetically and morphologically distinct.
Nevertheless, little is known about the behavior and ecology of these unhabituated andunderstudied bonobos. Since 2014, the Lomami Conservation Project of the Frankfurt
Zoological Society (formerly the TL2 Project) has been using a combination of indirect
methods to piece together a better understanding of their distribution and ecology.
Patrols across the park recording bonobo indicators reveal a patchy bonobo distribution
with, contrary to predictions, the highest concentrations at the southern forest savanna
ecotone. Marked nest counts were used to calculate bonobo densities confirming highconcentrations of bonobos at the ecotone, even in unprotected areas outside of the park.
Camera trap studies confirmed similarities between the social organization of these
ecotone bonobos and other bonobo populations as well as variation in the presence ofother frugivores and predators across the park. Finally, implementation of passive
acoustic monitoring will hopefully enable monitoring of the ranging patterns of atargeted bonobo community relative to food and poaching. While these methods eachprovide insight into a different aspect of bonobo socioecology, they also require
immense investments in time and resources. Therefore, integrating methods has provenmore efficient, building off of patterns from large-scale lower-intensity patrols tospatially target intensive camera trap studies and refine study questions. Hopefully, withnew methods and techniques we can continue to improve our understanding of the
distribution, ecology and status of this important bonobo population.

12

Going Down with Primates: Paleontological Insights into CoordinatedDynamics of Mammalian Diversity under Forest Loss1

Susumu Tomiya1*

Center for International Collaboration and Advanced Studies in Primatology, Center for the
Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan*tomiya.susumu.8r@kyoto-u.ac.jp

The global climatic trajectory of the Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [Ma] to
Present) is characterized by gradual declines in temperature and precipitation. In midlatitude regions, this broad-scale climatic transition brought about replacement of
tropical rainforests with more open subtropical to temperate woodlands and grasslands.
It is well known that these biomic shifts have profoundly influenced the course of
macroevolution for mammals, but our mechanistic understanding of regional faunaltransitions has not yet advanced sufficiently to generate predictive models of
mammalian diversity dynamics under forest loss. With the latter goal in mind, myinternational collaborators and I have been investigating patterns of vertebrate faunaltransitions in the middle Eocene (ca. 48–37 Ma) of North America, which experienced acomplete loss of once-diverse primates.
To date, we have analyzed diversity dynamics of carnivorous mammals against
declining primate diversity in two particularly fossil-rich regions. In the Washakie
Basin of the central Rocky Mountains region, analyses of ~5,200 vertebrate fossil
occurrence data using Bayesian hierarchical occupancy–detection modeling revealed asubstantial loss (with an estimated median of 40%) of carnivore species around 46 Ma,
concomitant with geologically sudden disappearance of previously-abundant primates.
In southwestern North America (encompassing present-day southern California andTrans-Pecos, Texas)—a likely holdout for a forest-adapted North American fauna that
saw a delayed and more protracted decline of primates compared to the rest of thecontinent—mammalian carnivore diversity as a whole does not appear to havedecreased as dramatically as in the central Rocky Mountains region. However, it wasmarked by gradual decrease in proportional diversity of hypo- and mesocarnivores fromca. 42 to 38 Ma. This trend culminated in the appearance of earliest hypercarnivorous
carnivoraforms (crown-group carnivorans and their close relatives) in North America.
These observations illustrate independent responses of carnivore assemblages that,while exhibiting some contextual dependencies, are both consistent with expectations
for forest-to-woodland transitions in which opening-up of forest canopies reduces thedimensions of spatial and food resources. Our findings augment eco-geographic patternsof carnivoran diversity observed today, providing a deep temporal perspective that is
not confounded by anthropogenic disturbances.

13

Body part categorization in chimpanzees
Jie Gao1*, Ikuma Adachi2

1

2

Hakubi Center & Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan*

gao.jie.7u@kyoto-u.ac.jp

Humans are able to categorize body parts, which reflects our knowledge about bodies
and could potentially help with higher-level activities involving bodies. In this study,
we tested whether humans’ closest living relatives, chimpanzees, can categorize bodyparts as humans do. Six chimpanzees were trained to perform a body-part matching-tosample task using sets of pictures of the same individuals. The body parts were heads,
torso, arms, and legs. Five of the chimpanzees passed the training and received test
sessions. There were three kinds of trials mixed in the test sessions: (1) used pictures ofsame-individual pairs; (2) new same-individual pairs; and (3) new different-individual
pairs. All individuals had performances that were better than the chance level in all theconditions and for all the body parts. For their first encounters with the new differentindividual pairs, their performances were also better than the chance level. The analysis
for their accuracies in the novel different-individual pairs suggested significant
differences among all four body parts (from high to low): when the samples were heads,
torso, arms, and then legs. An analysis in response time in these pairs also showed asignificant difference: arms and legs had longer time than heads and torso. A
multidimensional scaling analysis of their choices suggested that they were mostly
confused with arm-leg pairs. Overall, the results showed that chimpanzees are able tomatch and categorize body parts, even across different chimpanzee bodies. Theirsensitivities to each body part vary, and they seem to be more sensitive to heads andtorso compared to arms and legs. This indicates that knowledge about body parts may
play an important role in their lives. We hope this study could inspire future studies on
the evolution of body perception in primates.

14

Correlation between the functional polymorphisms in TAS2Rs andhuman bitter taste perception for caffeine
Rena Numabe1,2*, Hiroo Imai2

1

2Div. of Biol., Fac. of Sci., Kyoto Univ., Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto Univ., Inuyama, Aichi, Japan*numabe.rena.44c@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Introduction: Bitter is an innate sense to avoid the toxic substances and bitterness isrecognized by TAS2Rs (taste 2 receptors). 25 TAS2Rs have been known as the bitter
taste receptors in human, which can totally recognize thousands of bitter compounds.
Some TAS2Rs have genetic polymorphism, which are suggested to be responsible forinterindividual differences of bitter taste sense. The relation of TAS2R functions andhuman taste sense has been still under discussion. For example, there are some papers
discussing the relationship between coffee bitterness and Single Nucleotide
Polymorphism (SNP) in TAS2Rs. Caffeine is a well-known bitter compound in coffee;
therefore, we focus on the influence of the SNPs in TAS2Rs to people’s bitter
perception to coffee and caffeine. SNPs near the loci of TAS2R43 and TAS2R46 arereported to be related to the caffeine bitterness and liking of coffee. In this study, we
examined the relationship of functional differences in protein haplotypes of TAS2R43
and TAS2R46 with the threshold of human bitter taste sense.
Materials and Methods: TAS2R43 has 2 major haplotypes due to 2 SNPs.
Combination of W at position 35 and H at position 212 is suggested as the ancestral
type during the molecular evolution which mainly distribute in Africa. Anothercombination of S and R is suggested as the derived type, which mainly distribute in East
Asia. TAS2R46 has also 2 haplotypes, in which the ancestral type of L at position 228
and the derived type of M. Because these polymorphisms cause the functional
differences in these TAS2Rs to some toxic ligands, we examined the response of theseTAS2Rs to caffeine and related compounds using the expressed protein in cultured cells(HEK293T cell). We carried out human tasting test with volunteer subjects, to compare
their threshold of bitterness perception with their genotyping data of the TAS2Rs.
Results: We found the difference in the function to caffeine between the haplotypes of
expressed TAS2R43 and TAS2R46 protein. In both receptors, ancestral types showed
higher response and lower threshold compared to the derived type. Also, there was atendency that people having the ancestral type can detect caffeine bitterness at lower
concentration than those having the derived type in TAS2R43 and TAS2R46.
Discussion: The SNPs of TAS2R43 and TAS2R46 can affect their protein response tocaffeine which causes the difference in people’s bitter perception. Interestingly, otherbitter compounds in coffee (mozanbioside and cafestol) were reported to stimulate only
TAS2R43 and -46. Therefore, the taste of coffee may be different among the people’s
TAS2R43/-46 genotypes. Considering the distribution of the haplotypes, these SNPs in
the TAS2R43/-46 may be corelated to human spread from Africa. One of the candidates
for the differences in the SNPs abundance ratio is difference in vegetation of toxic
plants in each area. Another possibility is related to the foods and drinks containcaffeine. The SNPs in TAS2R43/-46 may contribute to the change in the tase offoods/drink which is changed in the human evolution.
15

Urination Behavior in Captive Chimpanzees: Synchrony, Contagion,and Social Patterns
Ena Onishi1*, Sota Inoue1,2, James Brooks1,3 and Shinya Yamamoto1,3
1

2

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Graduate School of Environmental Science, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
3
Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto, Japan*

enaonishi@gmail.com

Behavioral contagion, a fundamental element of group dynamics, has recently piquedscientific interest due to its relevance in understanding the evolution of group cohesion
among social animals, including humans. In our study, we investigated the urination
behavior of captive chimpanzees, aiming to explore the existence of contagious
urination and elucidate the associated social patterns. We conducted direct observationof four groups of five captive chimpanzees each (N=20) at Kyoto University Kumamoto
Sanctuary for 421 cumulative hours. Our data collection included scan data ofinterindividual proximity, social behavior of all individuals at two-minute intervals, aswell as all occurrences of urination and the immediate proximity of individuals during
urination events. We then analyzed chimpanzee urination behavior in three key aspects:
synchrony, contagion, and the underlying social factors. First, to assess synchronization,
we compared our observational data to computer-simulated sessions. Findings indicateda significant level of synchronization in the observed urination events, surpassing thatobserved in simulations. Second, we employed generalized linear mixed models(GLMM) to investigate the role of contagion. We found that proximity to a urinating
individual has a significant effect on the likelihood of urination (p < 0.01), providing
compelling evidence for contagion in the urination behavior of chimpanzees. Third, we
explored the social characteristics of initiators and followers, considering social
dominance and social centrality to discern social patterns of contagion. We find asignificant effect of dominance status, with lower-ranking individuals more likely tofollow the urination of higher-ranking individuals (p < 0.01). Our findings therefore
suggest that urination in captive chimpanzees does exhibit clear signs of behavioral
contagion, and the observed connection between social rank and urination contagion
may provide insights into chimpanzee leadership dynamics.

16

Measuring Emotional States through Judgment Bias via a Go/no-go
Touch Screen Task in Chimpanzees:
Christen Lin1*, Sakumi Iki2, Sanjana Kadam2, Ikuma Adachi2, and Shinya Yamamoto1,3
1

2

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
3
Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan*

linchristen@gmail.com

Emotional contagion can be challenging to directly investigate in non-humananimals because it is oftentimes difficult to determine their emotional states withcomplete certainty. As such, the judgment bias paradigm can be used to infer theemotional state of animals. This design utilizes the tendency of individuals experiencing
negative emotions to judge ambiguous situations pessimistically, and those feeling
positive emotions to judge ambiguous situations optimistically. In this judgment bias
task animals are firstly trained to associate different stimuli with positive and negative
outcomes respectively, and once training is complete their response rate and speed
towards novel, neutral stimuli can be recorded to infer the valence of their emotional
state. With the goal of eventually investigating emotional contagion through video
presentation in chimpanzees, we trained 7 chimpanzees on a touch screen judgment bias
go/no-go task. During training chimpanzees would be presented with a touch screen
panel, upon which buttons of light or dark color would be presented periodically. After
pressing buttons of one of the colors the chimpanzees would be rewarded with food,
while pressing the opposite color would not result in anything. The individuals thatcompleted this training phase proceeded onto the next phase, in which snake images
were utilized as emotional stimuli to confirm if a change in emotions would result in a
speed or frequency shift for button-pressing. We found that there was a difference in
response latency between individuals, suggesting that the effectiveness of this method
may be individual-specific. It is possible that this judgment bias task can be used tosuccessfully determine emotional valence for some chimpanzee individuals, thus
potentially establishing an experimental basis for investigating emotional contagion
with this paradigm using video stimuli of conspecifics expressing emotions.

17

Investigating the importance of observed causal effects during thesocial learning of tool set use in chimpanzees: preliminary report1
2

Yige Piao1*, James Brooks1,2, Shinya Yamamoto1,2Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan*

spoonasf@gmail.com

Chimpanzees are one of the most proficient tool users in the wild, and previous
studies have emphasized social learning in the propagation of their tool-using behaviors.
However, the demonstrated behaviors in previous studies are mostly simple tool-use
consisting of single-step manual manipulation, where physical understanding and social
facilitation are difficult to distinguish. Wild chimpanzees can also master more complex
tool-using behaviors, like tool set use, involving two or more tools in multiple steps andsometimes operates opaquely, viz the goal of each step is not obvious or not directly
linked to immediate reward. Studies have shown that such kind of complex tool use
could hardly be individually innovated and should be a product of social learning. With
these features, tool set use could be a feasible way to discern the effects of physicalunderstanding and social facilitation during the learning process. The current study
therefore aims to investigate how visual information may interact with social learning intool set use. We developed the “flowing peanut task”, which requires subjects to use
water and sticks sequentially to obtain the peanut. We presented it to 13 captive
chimpanzees and confirmed that no individuals solved the task either individually orsocially in the absence of a demonstrator. The next experiments will offer first human,then conspecific, models, in both transparent and opaque conditions to the subjects.
Under the controlled presentation of different information, results of the learning
process will indicate the role of both a model and the observed causal effects in theirunderstanding of and ability to execute more complex tool-use.

18

People and Gorillas, from Uganda to Japan: the impacts ofinteractions between tourists and gorillas on their behavior and species
conservation
Raquel Costa1,2, Valeria Romano3, Andre Pereira4,5, Jordan D. A. Hart4, Andrew MacIntosh6,7,Michael Huffman6, Rafaela Sayuri7, Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka8, Fred Bercovitch10, Masaki
Tomonaga1 and Misato Hayashi11Japan Monkey Center, Inuyama, Japan
Primate Cognition Research Group, Lisbon, Portugal
3
IMBE, Aix Marseille Univ., Avignon Univ., CNRS, IRD, Marseille, France
4
Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
5
Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
6
Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University Wildlife Research Center, Inuyama, Japan
7
Institute for Liberal Arts and Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
8
Department of Anthropology, Kent State University, Kent, USA
9Conservation Through Public Health, Entebbe, Uganda
10
Wildlife Research Centre, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
11
Chubu Gakuin University, Kakamigahara, Japan2*

raquel.f.p.costa@gmail.com

Tourism can have a significant impact on the conservation of species, especially when
it involves emblematic species that serve as flagship and umbrella for their habitat. A
prominent example of this phenomenon is Gorilla Tourism, which is often advocated to
be a primary driver for the growth in the population of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei
beringei) through funding the protection of their habitat. However, research indicates that
tourists can exert negative influences on primate species, leading to reasonable concernsthat gorillas may also experience similar adverse effects. We assessed stress-coping
mechanisms (prosocial behaviors of social buffering), behavioral indicators of stress(self-scratching), direct interactions with humans (agonistic, neutral and avoidance
behaviors), and changes in social cohesion patterns (time spent with and number ofindividuals in close association), in the presence and absence of tourist groups visiting
one group of mountain gorillas living in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda.
Generalized linear mixed models and Social network analysis were used to analyze
differences in gorilla behavior as a function of (a) presence vs. absence of tourists and (b)proximity to tourists (<3 m vs >3 m). Contrary to guidelines, tourists spent 60% of theirviewing time within 3 m of the gorillas. During tourist visits, gorillas increased time spentin prosocial behavior and rates of self-scratching and human-directed behavior,increasing also social cohesion. When tourists approached gorillas within 3 m, prosocial
behavior, human-directed behavior, and social cohesion increased, with adult malespresenting a pick of self-scratching rates. We conclude that tourists are influencing gorilla
behavior and we recommend following and enforcing the IUCN guidelines by keeping aminimum 7 m distance when viewing gorillas. In a subsequent study conducted in
captivity, we discovered that gorillas are the preferred species among zoo visitors. Thisfinding holds significant importance as those visitors who express a preference forgorillas represent potential future Gorilla tourists. Consequently, zoos take on a central
role in educating and raising awareness regarding close interactions with wildlife andresponsible tourism practices.
1920

Analysis of Genes Related to Toxic Resistance in Crested Serpent
Eagle Preying on Poisonous Invasive Alien Species
Alisa Tobe1*, Yu Sato1, Mitsuki Kondo2, Manabu Onuma2 and Miho Inoue-Murayama1
1

2

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Biodiversity Division, National Institute of Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan*

tobe.alisa.23y@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

The crested serpent eagle (Spilornis cheela perplexus) is an endemic top predatorof Ishigakijima and Iriomotejima Islands and contributing to the maintenance ofthe balance in the island ecosystems with its wide variety of food animals.
However, the eagle is classified as endangered (class IA) by the Japanese Ministry of
the Environment, with approximately 100 individuals on each island. Moreover, theintroduction and establishment of various non-native species is a significant
problem on Ishigakijima Island. One such invasive alien species is the poisonous
cane toad (Rhinella marina), known to be lethal to some of its predators, raisingconcerns about the negative effects to the native species of Ishigakijima Island.
Surprisingly, despite frequent predation on this toad by crested serpent eagles,
there have been no reported cases of poisoning. In previous studies, it was foundthat some animals which live with this toad in its original habitat have resistanceof the toad’s toxins. Crested serpent eagle also seems to have resistance to thetoxin, even without any previous studies. The aim of this study is to confirm thegenetic basis of the crested serpent eagle’s toxic resistance. Additionally, we will
also assess the population sustainability of the eagle based on the analysis ofgenetic diversity.
We utilized available annotated reference genome of crested serpent eagle forour analysis. Based on previous studies which identified mutations in functional
genes (ATP1A) contributing to resistance to cane toad toxins, we explored threeparalogs of ATP1A regions within the reference genome and conducted an analysis
of finding mutations related to resistance. We conducted additional WGS on sevencrested serpent eagle individuals (three from Ishigakijima Island and four from
Iriomotejima Island) and compared the mutations in ATP1A gene. Additionally, we
tried genomic analysis of the two island populations for comparing the genomewide genetic diversity using PCA and heterozygosity.
The results of our study indicate the presence of specific mutations associatedwith resistance to cane toad toxins in one paralog of ATP1A within the crested
serpent eagle’s reference genome. In this presentation, we will also present thefindings of mutation comparisons between individuals and the analysis of genetic
diversity within two island populations.

21

Equal Mating Opportunities Among Male Bonobos?
1

Kazuya Toda1*

Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, SOKENDAI, Japan*toda.kazuya.h17@kyoto-u.jp

In several primates living with multi-male/multi-female groups, female sexual swelling
plays a role of the signal to advertise the timing of ovulation. Bonobos (Pan paniscus)
are unique in that females exhibit sexual swelling even outside the timing of ovulation
and are capable to frequently mate with males. Such a long-term sexual receptivity offemale bonobos has been hypothesized to mitigate mating competition between males
through the decrease in the ratio of the number of males to the number of estrus females
at a given time (“estrus sex ratio” hypothesis: Furuichi 2011). However, Ryu et al. (2022)
indicate that male bonobos expend more their mating effort toward estrous females
around the timing of ovulation than pseudo-estrus females. Thus, male bonobos seem todetect female reproductive state with some manner (“males know” hypothesis). Actually,in two populations of wild bonobos, the reproductive skew was much biased towards
high-ranking males. Nonetheless, if so, what is the function of long-term sexual
receptivity in female bonobos? As the first step to explore an ultimate factor of the nonreproductive mating behavior in bonobos, I examined a correlation between mating
frequency of male bonobos and their dominance ranks, using observational data collectedwith all-day focal animal sampling from wild bonobos at Wamba, Luo Scientific Reserve,
in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Male bonobos were observed to engage in matinginteractions at least once for 33 out of 41 days (80%). Also, their mating frequencies were
not correlated with rank, on the contrary to results of three previous studies at the same
field site. Mating opportunities seem to be considerably equal for all males of the group,in regardless of their reproductive success. It could be possible that non-reproductive
mating interactions have proximate mechanisms in reducing the escalation of maleaggression. The next study plans to investigate physiological responses of male bonobos
after mating interactions by measuring urinary hormone levels.

22

Horses with sustained attention evaluate humans based on theirproblem-solving abilities

1

Takuto Sugimoto1*, Satoshi Hirata1

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan*

takuto1087@gmail.com

The ability to recognize and evaluate others is considered to be an important ability inselecting cooperative partners. There have been some studies on this ability in bothhumans and nonhuman animals, however, little empirical research has been conducted to
examine how horses perceive humans. Here, we investigated whether horses can evaluate
the problem-solving ability of humans in an unsolvable task. We showed horses a pair of
two experimenters, one who can open the lid of a container (problem solver) and the otherwho cannot open the lid of the container but unintentionally open it (problem nonsolver),trying to open the lid of the container either with or without food in it. Gaze duration
toward each experimenter was recorded and used as a proxy measurement of the attentionof the horses. Furthermore, we investigated the horses’ visual attention levels toward
human experimenters to evaluate the relationship between their motivation and theirperformance of the task. Horses that sustained high attention levels watched the problem
solver longer than the problem nonsolver in the food condition. They also watched the
problem solver for longer in the food condition compared to the no food condition. These
results suggest that horses can recognize the problem-solving ability of humans. This
study also indicate that motivation for the task should be taken into account when
examining the cognitive abilities of animals.

23

Mitochondrial DNA haplotype analysis of killer whales (Orcinus orca)
around Hokkaido suggests a refugium for killer whales off Japan
during the Last Glacial Maximum
Momoka Suzuki1*, Takushi Hayakawa2, Yuki F. Kita3, Motoi Yoshioka4, Hiroshi Ohizumi5,
Fumio Nakahara6, Shigeo Saino7, Tadasu Yamada8, Mami Kawai9, and Yoko Mitani1
1

2

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Faculty of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan3
School of Biological Sciences, Tokai University, Sapporo, Japan
4
Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Tsu, Japan
5
School of Marin Science and Technology, Tokai University, Shizuoka, Japan
6
Faculty of Human Sciences, Tokiwa University, Mito, Japan
7
Kobe Animals-and-Plants Environmental College, Kobe, Japan
8
National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsukuba, Japan
9
School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Japan*suzuki.momoka.75k@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Glacial periods can have impacts on range of habitats and population size of animal
species. Killer whale (Orcinus orca), which is globally distributed, has a widespread
population bottleneck during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). Then, some ice-freesea areas were used as refugia for them, so the populations retained in such regions
often preserve stable and rich genetic diversity. In the eastern North Pacific, there are
two haplotypes among the fish-eating killer whales, Southern Resident (SR) andNorthern Resident (NR), though each habitat is adjacent. SR haplotype is alsofrequently found in the western North Pacific, indicating the ancestors of SR survived
during the LGM there. Recently, Filatova et al. (2023) found a new haplotype among
the killer whales sampled in Nemuro Strait, by control region in mitochondrial DNA
haplotype and acoustic analyses. The new haplotype suggests a high genetic diversity
level, indicating that off Japan could be used by killer whales as a refugium during the
LGM. About killer whales off Japan, it became clear that there are fish-eating group andmarine mammals-eating group, by analyzing D-loop and cytochrome b regions inmitochondrial DNA (Mitani et al. 2021). However, there are few studies about their
genetic diversity using samples around Hokkaido.
In this study, we made a neighbor-joining tree and a haplotype network using control
regions or those cropped from mitochondrial genomes of fish-eating groups to assess
genetic diversity. We used sequences of mitochondrial genomes of 4 samples around
Hokkaido (2 from off Rausu and 2 from off Kushiro). A comparison of our samples
with NR (haplotype 35 in Morin et al. (2010)), SR (haplotype 32 in Morin et al.
(2010)), and the new one found by Filatova et al. (2023), suggests our samples may
share another new haplotype if there are no gaps in the beginning 6 bases of themitochondrial DNA control region. If it is a novel one, there can be multiple haplotypes
off Hokkaido. Furthermore, in focusing on our samples, we also found that 1 from
Rausu and 2 from Kushiro share whole mitogenome, and in the control region, all oursamples share the sequence. It indicates there is intercourse among killer whales off
Kushiro and Rausu. These results suggest the ice-free region in the western North
Pacific including off Japan was an important refugium for them during the LGM.
24

Gene expression pattern of hair follicles to unravel Melanism Color
Evolution
Xiaochan YAN1*, Yohey TERAI2, Kanthi Arum WIDAYATI3, Laurentia Henrieta Permita Sari
PURBA3, Fahri FAHRI4, Bambang SURYOBROTO3, Hiroo IMAI1
1
2

Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi, Japan
Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies,
Hayama, Japan3
Department of Biology, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
4
Department of Biology, Tadulako University, Palu, Indonesia*

yanxch3@outlook.com

Animal use coloration to conceal themselves from predators, to regulate bodytemperatures, to advertise their toxicity, or to attract mates. Animal coloration, includingcoloration and patterning, has often been taken as evidence of adaptation driven by
selection. Such adaptations respectively occurred across the animal kingdom, offer a richexample for integrating our understanding of ‘evolution’ at macro to micro scale, i.e.,
ecology, genetics, and molecular biology. Most mammals exhibit darker dorsal andlighter in ventral and/or limbs pelage, probably for both concealment andthermoregulation. Studies have repeatedly found the same locus (MC1R and ASIP) or
genomic regions to be responsible for melanism adaptation in domesticated mammalian
species. However, due to the technical challenges of comprehensively analyzing wild
animal population, there are few examples that clarified coloration adaptation in nondomesticated mammals. By addressing these aspects, the study will focus on colorationand patterning evolution of Sulawesi macaques, which rapidly evolved from common
ancestor and diverged into melanism coloration and specific color patterns in each species.
First of all, we collected hair roots from black(dark) hair and white(bright) hair of M.
ochreata individual and determined total RNA expression responsible to different color
phenotype. We found black hair samples have more similar expression pattern which areclustered in PCA analysis. While white hair samples showed large variation. Further, wefound key genes evolving in melanogenesis have no expression difference between black
and white hair, rather genes for melanosome transportation and transferring havesignificantly high expression in black hair samples. So far, our result suggested thesufficient method of RNA sampling from hair roots and showed the possible internalcausality of body color pattern. Further analysis and comparison between different
coloration phenotype among Sulawesi macaques will provide a deeper understanding of
how coloration in primates evolves and adapts to different environments.

25

Androgen Receptor Gene Microsatellite Polymorphisms and Vocal
Communication in Domestic Cats (Felis catus)

1

Yume Okamoto1*, Madoka Hattori1, Miho Inoue-Murayama1

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto City, Kyoto prefecture, Japan*okamoto.yume.88h@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Domestic cats (Felis catus) are popular companion animal and play an importantrole in the society through human-cat relationship. They show various behaviors
while communicating with humans and other cats, such as vocalizations andaggressions. It is reported that in many species, behaviors are associated withgenetic backgrounds in addition to environments. Recent genetic investigations
have examined that androgen receptor gene (AR) microsatellite polymorphism inexon 1 region located on the X chromosome is in relation to various traits in many
animal species, for example, violent criminal behavior in men (Rajender et al.,2008) and aggression in male Japanese Akita Inu (Konno et al., 2011). A previous
study on domestic cats also revealed the CAG repeat polymorphisms in AR, but
their association with behavior is still not known (Kato et al., 2007).
The objective of this study is to investigate association between AR
microsatellite polymorphism and behavior in domestic cats. An online
questionnaire survey was conducted for behavior assessment using Feline
Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (Fe-BARQ). We also extracted
DNA from cats’ buccal cells and analyzed CAG repeat number in AR. A total of 155
male mixed breed was used for the assessment. All individuals were spayed. 7
alleles ranging from repeat numbers 15 to 21 were found. We divided alleles into 2
groups using medians as cut-off, then categorized alleles with 18 repeats or fewer
as short type (S) and those with 19 repeats or more as long type (L). The result of
Wilcoxon rank sum test showed that individuals having S/- genotype showed higher“Directed calls / vocalizations (p = 0.020)” and “Purring (p = 0.005)” scores than L/genotype.
Domestic cats’ vocal communication is suggested to be used to attract people(Mertens & Turner, 1988), and purring is used in the context of promoting contact, forexample, to solicit food from their human (McComb et al., 2009). Therefore, a short
CAG repeat polymorphism may positively relate to affiliative behavior in male cats.
This finding is contrary to previous studies which have suggested that shorter CAG
repeat relates to aggression-related behavior in humans and dogs (Rajender et al., 2008;
Konno et al., 2011). A possible explanation for this might be an interaction with anotherpolymorphic region. The previous research on men had reported that AR exon 1
contains 2 polymorphic regions (GGN repeat and CAG repeat) and suggested that short
CAG is associated with extraversion, only in the case of individuals carrying long GGN(Westberg et al., 2009). Therefore, it might be possible to consider that social behaviors
might reflect a combination of polymorphisms in AR. A further study on otherpolymorphisms is therefore suggested. The research on genetic backgrounds ofdomestic cats’ behavior would contribute to enhancing future human-cat relationships.

26

Investigating the Latrine Behavior of Invasive Raccoon Dogs
(Nyctereutes procyonoides) on Yakushima Island

1

Negin Eslamibidgoli1*, Andrew MacIntosh1

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan*eslamibidgoli.negin.55f@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

In recent decades, invasive alien species (IAS) have become one of the major causes of
biodiversity loss and species extinction. Invasive species compete over various resources
with native inhabitants, posing a threat to the biodiversity in their new environment. Also,
they could potentially introduce new pathogens and promote disease transmission within
the native community, and consequently harm the health of other species, including
humans, as well as cause economic losses. The Japanese raccoon dog (“tanuki”;
Nyctereutes procyonoides) is an opportunistic generalist species that is native to mainland
Japan but invasive on Yakushima Island. One of the fundamental behaviors of tanukis istheir communal defecation and urination sites, called latrines. However, this behavior has
not been extensively studied and its function is not yet known in any detail. Following
research on other latrine-forming species, our hypothesis is that latrines serve a role incommunication between individuals for various purposes, for instance, between males
and females during the mating season. To discover more about the function of tanuki
latrines, in this study, we mainly ask three questions: (1) are there sex biases in latrineuse? (2) do kin preferentially use the same set of latrines? and, (3) can environmental
factors such as change of season influence patterns of latrine use? We will use acombination of ecological and molecular analyses to conduct this study. The core
methodology for this project relies on latrine surveys and sampling. Fresh feces arebeing collected from latrines in Yakushima’s western coastal forest and beaches
around Nagata village. With those samples, we will conduct genetic analyses for sex
identification, for example using sex-determining genes such as SRY, and individual
identification using microsatellite markers from the literature on tanuki and other canids.
Through this research, we aim to provide a deeper understanding of the tanuki invasion
on Yakushima by focusing on a fundamental behavior. We also plan on downstream
analyses such as creating social networks to study social behavior and infectious diseasetransmission. Finally, our data will allow for comparative studies on genetic diversity intanuki on Yakushima and mainland Japan, and potentially comparisons of latrine
behavior between invasive and native tanuki throughout Japan.

27

Exploring Attentional Bias in Chimpanzees
1

2

Sanjana Pratap Kadam1*, Cécile Sarabian2, and Ikuma Adachi1

Center for the Evolutionary Origins of Human Behavior, Kyoto University, Japan
Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Toulouse School of Economics, Toulouse, France*

sanjana.kadam.45c@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Attentional bias is a cognitive tendency to focus on specific information while
disregarding the rest. In animals, the exact time taken to process specific information
which can affect these biases is still being discussed. Our study utilizes attentional blink
to shed light on what information affects attention and processing time for chimpanzees(Pan troglodytes). To investigate this, we conducted a rapid serial visual presentation task
on chimpanzees, exposing them to a stream of images. While the chimpanzees are still
undergoing training, initial findings may suggest a trend towards images in specificpositions within the image stream. This type of bias can be adaptive in various situations,particularly when facing threats, as it enables individuals to focus on the most dangerous
elements in their environment and respond effectively.

28

An Approach to Comprehensive Analysis of Trichuris Parasites in
Wild Primates Using the Global Mammal Parasite Database1

Emi Tokushige1*, Andrew J. J. MacIntosh2

Graduate school of science, Kyoto University, Japan
Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Japan2*

tokushige.emi.33e@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Researchers have been accumulating knowledge on soil-transmitted helminths(STHs) that infect various primates through investigations over time. However, few
study have taken the perspective of carefully-selected individual parasite species orgenera and comprehensively analyzed their infection patterns from this sea of
information. We attempted such an analysis of whipworms (Trichuris spp.), which arewidely distributed throughout the world from the data of the papers on wild primates.
The Global Mammal Parasite Database (GMPD: https://parasites.nunn-lab.org/ ) is adatabase focused on records of host-parasite associations from the published literature.
We downloaded as csv files all records that met the criteria of involving whipworms(genus Trichuris) from the GMPD's Query Primate Data. First, we summarized therecords in terms of the number of studies, the primate species involved, the region of
study, and so on. Then, we statistically analyzed the occurrence of whipworms in primate
hosts according to various host conditions, including geographic and socioecologicalcharacteristics, and tested for sampling biases and knowledge gaps.
A total of 374 primate populations from 142 papers were included in our data set,coming from 79 primate species were included as hosts. Chimpanzees had the largest
number of individual reports, followed by Japanese macaques. Most records involved
catarrhine primates, with only four reports about platyrrhines. Most papers usedmorphological descriptions to identify Trichuris through egg shape and did not use DNA
analysis. Therefore, although some papers were identified to species, which is insufficient
to distinguish between species of whipworm. Statistical analyses are ongoing.
We also identify challenges with research using databases like the GMPD. For example,
the number of papers may be large for primates that are easy to observe or approach intheir habitats or are of high interest, resulting in a strong publication bias affecting thedata. What is needed to solve these problems and conduct highly accurate, systematic,
and bird's-eye view analyses will also be discussed.

29Tsushima Leopard cats may scavenge on carcasses in Tsushima Island,
Japan

Marie Seki1*, Miho Murayama1, Satoshi Hirata1, Kodzue Kinoshita2
1
Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
2

Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan*seki.marie.74s@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Scavenging is the consumption of animal carcasses. Whether vertebrates are able toscavenge depends on the accessibility and availability of carcasses, which can be affectedby human hunters.
On Tsushima Island, more than 8,000 wild boar and deer are hunted each year. Despite
the appropriate deer population size in Tsushima of just 3,500 individuals, there are morethan 40,000 individuals and they cause serious damage to crops and the forest floor.
The Tsushima leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus) is endemic to
Tsushima Island and is a subspecies of the mainland Leopard cat. There areapproximately 100 individuals that inhabit the island, and their diet is still not yet wellunderstood. We hypothesize that the Tsushima leopard cat may utilize (i.e. consume) deer
and wild boar carcasses, and that this utilization rate may be affected by carcass
availability which is affected by hunting.
Two methods will be conducted to test this hypothesis. First, we will conduct species
identification of the hair collected from the feces of Tsushima leopard cats by observing
its surface and thickness. Also, using DNA from the fecal samples we will conduct
species identification. We will set primers for the Cytochrome b regions of each species(deer, wild boar, leopard cat) and select a specific region, and the frequency of occurrence(FO) will be calculated. Next, we will create a model in which we analyze the correlation
between the rate of FO as an explanatory variable and other data as objective variables,
including the number of hunted deer and wild boar, the number of individuals captured
by camera traps, and the season in which the fecal sample was collected. If theconsumption of deer and wild boar is confirmed, this study will be the first to verify thepossibility that the Tsushima leopard cat scavenges on such carcasses. This study will
also verify utilization rate of such carcasses in relation to hunting.

30

Genetic diversity of critically endangered captive black rhinoceros inJapan: Implication for conservation
Mohamed M. Saidi1,2, Yu Sato1, Sherif Ramadan3 & Miho Inoue-Murayama1*

Wildlife research Center, Kyoto University, Japan
Forensic Wildlife Laboratory, Government Chemist Laboratory Authority, Tanzania
3
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Egypt
12*murayama.miho.5n@kyoto-u.ac.jp

Black rhinoceros (Diceros birconis) is under great threat of extinction in the wildcondition due to illegal hunting for their horns and habitat loss (Lacy, 2019). Their riskof extinction is exacerbated by less chance of migration, loss of genetic diversity andmanagement in fragmented sub-populations (Frankham, 2016). Maintaining captive
population is important as the insurance of wild population (McGowan et al, 2017).
Success of captive breeding program depends on maintaining genetically healthpopulation that is capable to reproduce, withstand and evolve in response toenvironmental changes, diseases, pests and parasites (Gaines et al, 2010).
Therefore, this study intends to evaluate and provide information of genetic diversity with
21 captive black rhinoceros, those are almost all individuals kept in Japan, so as to informfuture conservation and management interventions.
DNA samples were extracted from blood or feces provided from 10 zoos in Japan (Asa,Kanazawa, Yagiyama, Tennoji, Ueno, Yokohama Zoorasia, Tobe, Kamine, Higashiyama
and Kumamoto). We analyzed haplotypes of mtDNA control region sequence (477bp),
and compared with the previous report of wild populations in Africa (Moodley et al,2017) for revealing genetic diversity in Japan.
Four haplotypes of maternal lineage were identified with overall haplotype diversity of h
= 0.65. This suggests a slight loss of genetic diversity in Japan, comparing with reported
haplotype diversity (h = 0.88) of east African haplogroup (Moodley et al, 2017).
Three Japanese haplotypes showed the same sequence as Eastern African haplogroup,and remaining one haplotype was as Southern African haplogroup. Therefore, classified
into sub species Diceros bicornis michaeli and Diceros bicornis nyasae distributed across
Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe respectively. The result suggests that Japanese
population possibly maintains a sub species (Diceros bicornis nyasae) which has not beenrecognized in recent years in Africa. However, further analysis based on the wholegenomic data is required.
We recommend that, current level of diversity be maintained and improved by allowing
additional variation by re-introduction of genetically diverse individuals into Japanesegene pool, although further analysis is required with nuclear genome such as
microsatellites. Therefore, the analysis of 11 microsatellite markers is currently ongoingwith the same sample set. Our genetic data has the potential for contributing to develop
effective conservation managements.

31

Genetic diversity of critically endangered captive black rhinoceros inJapan: Implication for conservation
Mohamed M. Saidi1,2, Yu Sato1, Sherif Ramadan3 & Miho Inoue-Murayama1*

Wildlife research Center, Kyoto University, Japan
Forensic Wildlife Laboratory, Government Chemist Laboratory Authority, Tanzania
3
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Egypt
12*murayama.miho.5n@kyoto-u.ac.jp

Black rhinoceros (Diceros birconis) is under great threat of extinction in the wildcondition due to illegal hunting for their horns and habitat loss (Lacy, 2019). Their riskof extinction is exacerbated by less chance of migration, loss of genetic diversity andmanagement in fragmented sub-populations (Frankham, 2016). Maintaining captive
population is important as the insurance of wild population (McGowan et al, 2017).
Success of captive breeding program depends on maintaining genetically healthpopulation that is capable to reproduce, withstand and evolve in response toenvironmental changes, diseases, pests and parasites (Gaines et al, 2010).
Therefore, this study intends to evaluate and provide information of genetic diversity with
21 captive black rhinoceros, those are almost all individuals kept in Japan, so as to informfuture conservation and management interventions.
DNA samples were extracted from blood or feces provided from 10 zoos in Japan (Asa,Kanazawa, Yagiyama, Tennoji, Ueno, Yokohama Zoorasia, Tobe, Kamine, Higashiyama
and Kumamoto). We analyzed haplotypes of mtDNA control region sequence (477bp),
and compared with the previous report of wild populations in Africa (Moodley et al,2017) for revealing genetic diversity in Japan.
Four haplotypes of maternal lineage were identified with overall haplotype diversity of h
= 0.65. This suggests a slight loss of genetic diversity in Japan, comparing with reported
haplotype diversity (h = 0.88) of east African haplogroup (Moodley et al, 2017).
Three Japanese haplotypes showed the same sequence as Eastern African haplogroup,and remaining one haplotype was as Southern African haplogroup. Therefore, classified
into sub species Diceros bicornis michaeli and Diceros bicornis nyasae distributed across
Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe respectively. The result suggests that Japanese
population possibly maintains a sub species (Diceros bicornis nyasae) which has not beenrecognized in recent years in Africa. However, further analysis based on the wholegenomic data is required.
We recommend that, current level of diversity be maintained and improved by allowing
additional variation by re-introduction of genetically diverse individuals into Japanesegene pool, although further analysis is required with nuclear genome such as
microsatellites. Therefore, the analysis of 11 microsatellite markers is currently ongoingwith the same sample set. Our genetic data has the potential for contributing to develop
effective conservation managements.

32

How do horses achieve joint action?: a case of mutual grooming
Ayumi Ogawa1*, Renata Mendonca1,2, Pandra Pinto1, Monamie Ringhofer3, Tamao Maeda4 andShinya Yamamoto1
1

Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Department of Life Science, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
3
Depertment of Animal Science, Teikyo University of Science, Yamanashi, Japan
4
Reserch Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies,
Kanagawa, Japan2*

ogawa.ayumi.35x@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Many social animals interact jointly, but only humans and some other primate species
are considered to experience a specific sense of obligation toward their co-participants,
a joint commitment. Joint commitment is not only a mental state but also a process thatreveals itself in the coordination efforts deployed during entry and exit phases of joint
action. Here we investigate whether horses engage in behavioral coordination during
entry phases of their allogrooming. Allogrooming in horses is primarily in the form of
mutual grooming, i.e. two individuals groom each other simultaneously, which should
requires more active cooperative engagement of the participants compared tounidirectional grooming. Therefore, we predicted that horses demonstrate somecommunicative signals during the entry phase of mutual grooming. We also
hypothesized that if such communicative signals have a function of soliciting jointcommitment, they should be affected by the social dimensions between partners insimilar ways as in humans, e.g. social distance and social rank. In this study, we
analyzed videos of feral horses living in Serra d’Arga, Portugal, and identified a total of
124 grooming events. Of these, 24 events were accompanied by headbobbing, aconspicuous vertical head shaking, before mutual grooming. Social factors that may
influence the occurrence of headbobbing will be investigated.

33

Improvement of oocyte in vitro maturation techniques using domestic
cats’ ovaries to establish assisted reproductive technology in wild cats
Chinatsu Nishimoto , Mayako Fujihara , Miho Murayama
1*

1

1

1

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japannishimoto.chinatsu.56x@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART), including artificial insemination, in vitro
fertilization, in vitro maturation, and gamete cryopreservation, have been developed forthe treatment of human infertility medicine and can be useful tools for maintaining
genetic diversity in endangered species and overcoming the problem of infertility in thosespecies in captivity. ART using oocytes have not been studied in comparison to sperm,
due to the difficulty of obtaining them including felids. The ability to utilize oocytes forin vitro fertilization in association with in vitro maturation offers enormous potential topreserve female fertility including infertile individuals and even after death. However,
the optimal culture condition for in vitro oocytes maturation remains to be developed in
the feline family, which has many endangered species.
Using domestic cats as a model of wild feline species, we aimed to develop the optimal
culture condition for in vitro maturation of oocytes for future application for in vitro
fertilization. Firstly, several analyses were performed to confirm the oocytes viability.
Then, we focused on sirtuin genes which maintain and activate cellular functions andexamined the influence of its activator, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), on oocyte
maturation. Cat oocytes were cultured with three different concentrations (10, 100, 1000µM) of NMN for 28 h, and their effects on oocyte maturation were evaluated by tubulin
staining.
Currently, 225 oocytes have been recovered from six individuals. In the viability
analysis, neutral red staining was effective, and we confirmed that a large number ofoocytes were viable when the ovaries were received one day after the sterilization. In thematuration evaluation, tubulin staining successfully differentiated the five of six
maturation stages including metaphase-Ⅱ (MⅡ) oocytes, which were considered to be
fully matured. By using these analysis and increasing the sample size, we plan to further
investigate the effects of NMN on oocytes maturation in domestic cats to apply for wild
feline species.

34

Epigenetic Age Estimation of Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus)
Kana Arai1*, Huiyuan Qi 1, Miho Inoue-Murayama 1

1

Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan*arai.kana.84p@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are classified as endangered by the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to anthropogenic effects. This has led to a
decline in population with only approximately 50,000 individuals left. Knowing an
animal’s age is an important ecological tool in wildlife conservation. This is such asproviding information on demographic trends and population viability in the wild andallowing appropriate care in captivity. However, current methods to estimate age are notalways accurate and difficult to observe in the wild for many species. This is also
applicable for Asian elephants where age is estimated through observing their physicalfeatures, mostly from culled individuals and not living. Visual estimation in long-lived
species like the elephants is also prone to gross overestimation and/or underestimation.
As they mature slowly, the visual determination of ‘maturity is subjective and difficult.
Thus, another reliable method to estimate age is required. DNA methylation is anepigenetic modification consisting in the addition of a methyl group in cytosine-guanineloci. Changes in DNA methylation at specific CpG sites have been used to build
predictive models to estimate animal age. Here, we have generated a reduced
representation bisulphite sequencing (RRBS) data set from captive Asian elephants (n =66) across Japanese zoos, aged from 0.25–65 years. RRBS is suggested to have a higher
resolution than the most used microarray-based method, which typically only probe asubset of CpG sites in the genome. Here, we will report the results of our RRBS analysis
to reveal the methylation levels and the correlation between CpG sites and chronologicalage in captive Asian elephants. This study highlights the potential further use of ageassociated DNA methylation dynamics which could inform conservation andmanagement practices, as well as linking ecological and evolutionary understanding of
biological ageing for future studies.

35

Research plan to measure emotional states in free-ranging Japanesemacaques using an infrared thermal camera.
Shimei Shirasawa1, Nahoko Tokuyama1, Shinya Yamamoto1,2
WRC, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan1

2

shirasawa.shimei.75x@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

While understanding animal emotions has long been a challenging topic in zoology, it
has not been fully studied due to its inherent complexities. Traditionally, such studies
were especially difficult because they required measurements to be physically attachedto the animals, and research was primarily conducted in laboratories. In contrast, contactfree methods such as infrared thermal cameras (IRT) offer the potential to uncover deeper
emotional states in wild animals during social interactions. Recent studies using IRT
imaging have revealed the physiological states of animals when exposed to ecologically
relevant situations. For example, grooming, a form of affiliative behavior, is observed
across various primate species. This behavior occurs regardless of an individual's rank
within a group. However, the actual feelings of comfort or discomfort experienced by theindividual being groomed remain uncertain. It's known that lower-ranking individuals
often exhibit an increased heart rate in the presence of a higher-ranking member, a
response akin to nervousness in humans. Prior research indicates that nose surface
temperature decreases during states of competition, excitement, and tension.
In this study, we will be using an IRT to measure variations in the nasal surface
temperature of free-range Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) on Koshima island, Japan,
during their grooming interactions, especially between kin and non-kin individuals. This
will provide insights into the emotional valence associated with grooming.

36

Primate origin of risk propensity and its effect on social status: fieldcognitive experiments with free-ranging Japanese monkey groups

1
2

Chaoyu Lin1*, Yu Kaigaishi2, Shinya Yamamoto1,2Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, 6068203 Kyoto, Japan
Insitute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, 6068501 Kyoto, Japan*

linchaoyu_mk@yahoo.co.jp

Primates encounter complex survival situations and social settings that necessitate
taking risks when the time is right, thus enhancing their survival odds. Unraveling theevolution of risk-averse cognition is indeed a task with intricate details and factors atplay. Studies shows that behaviors in primate species involve both risks and benefits
such as consuming unfamiliar food and engaging in innovative activities, which could
be harmful but bring new benefits to them. Japanese macaques are an ideal species tostudy the origins and implications of risk-taking behavior. Among the social behaviors
of Japanese macaques, some outstanding behaviors seem to imply the specificity of
their cognitive level and risk propensity preference, such as they also consuming highrisky foods which does not belong to their recipes. This behavior highlights a possible
correlation between risk-taking choices and behavioral patterns in Japanese macaques.
Our research purview will encompass these factors, appraising their potential impact on
the inclination towards risk. This research distinguishes itself as the first to employ fieldcognitive experiments with free-ranging Japanese macaques, aiming to decode theirintricate understanding of risk-taking. Precisely, our aim is to explore the connection
between risk preference and individuals’ properties such as age, sex and social status in
free-ranging Japanese macaques. This study will provide a more nuanced understandingof risk-taking behavior, potentially revealing variations in survival strategies among
different demographic and social groups within the macaque population.

37

Of Hot Spring and Bacteria: Linking hot spring bathing behaviour
and gut microbiome in Japanese macaques
Abdullah Langgeng1, Wanyi Lee2, Goro Hanya3, Andrew JJ MacIntosh1
1

Wildlife Research Center Kyoto University, Inuyama Campus, Japan
2
International College, National Taiwan University, Taiwan
3
Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Inuyama Campus, Japan*abdullahlanggeng@gmail.com

Hot spring bathing behaviour (HSBB) is a form of balneotherapy, generally
beneficial for health and stress relief. The practice is primarily performed by humans andhas not been reported in other animals, except in a population of Japanese macaques(Macaca fuscata) at the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park (JMP) in Nagano, Japan,
particularly during cold seasons. There have been several cases showing that sharing hot
water for bathing facilitates the transmission of certain (micro)organism. For example, it
has recently been reported that the similarity of faecal microbial communities between
family members who shared bathtub water was significantly closer than between those
who did not. The Japanese macaques at JMP provide an ideal (and perhaps the only)
model to study the effects of HSBB on the gut microbiome of non-human primates. Our
research aimed to investigate whether bathing would affect gut microbial communities,
either directly through differential bacterial exposure or indirectly through hormonal
responses. However, we did not make specific predictions about the exact way in which
the gut microbiome might be affected. The study was carried out over two winter seasons
between 2019 and 2021. We collected fresh faecal samples from sixteen adult female
macaques (9 bathers and 7 non-bathers) that varied in age, reproductive cycle and rank.
The samples were processed and subjected to 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing. Our results
showed no significant differences in the alpha and beta diversity of the gut microbiome
between bathers and non-bathers. However, four microbial genera (Methanobrevibacter,
Granulicatela, Fusobacterium and Acinetobacter, some of which are opportunistic
pathogens when the host immune system is compromised) were found to be enriched in
non-bathers. Future studies should consider incorporating additional variables, such as
hormonal and immunological aspects, in order to assess the impact of bathing.
Key words: Macaca fuscata, gut microbiome, hot spring, wildlife tourism, animal
behaviour38Females of the sailfin tetra prefer red-lightened environments
Elio de Almeida Borghezan1,2, Tiago Henrique da Silva Pires2, Jansen Zuanon2, Hideki
Sugiura1, Shiro Kohshima1
1

2

Wildlife Research Center of Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
Laboratório de Ecologia Comportamental e Evolução, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia,Manaus, AM, Brazil*borghezan.ea@gmail.com

Colours and their preference have profound impacts on individuals’ fitness ofvisually-oriented species. Colours are important to find food resources and mates ofbetter quality and modulate several physiological and behavioural features. Suchprocesses may be more important to sexually dimorphic species, especially dichromaticones since visual signals play an important role in intra- and interspecificcommunication. Amazon small streams vary widely regarding the amount of dissolved
organic carbon resulting in black (red-biased) and clear (mostly transparent) watertypes. The sailfin tetra Crenuchus spilurus is a small-sized and sexually dimorphic anddichromatic species composed of two main genetic lineages that live in black and clear
water types. Recently, we have shown that the female sexual preference for maleornaments colouration differs between individuals inhabiting black and clear watertypes. Females from black waters do not choose males primarily based on colouration
under strongly red-biased lighting, but females from clear waters do, which suggeststhat the importance of red colours for sexual behaviour differs between lineages of thesailfin tetra. Here, we evaluated the sailfin tetra female colour preference through the
choice between a red and a full spectrum enlightened environments. Females from black
waters and clear waters preferred red-lightened environments. Such results suggest thatthe females are attracted to the red colouration outside the context of mating,irrespective of the prevailing colouration of their native environment. Such preference
for red colours may be important for several processes in the sailfin tetra like feeding,predator avoidance and mating opportunities.

39

Sex‐Specific Effects of Juvenile Offspring on their Mothers’ Social
Relationships with Other Females in Japanese Macaques (Macaca
fuscata) on Shodoshima Island
Shintaro Ishizuka1*,2,3, and Eiji Inoue1

1

2

Toho University, 2-2-1 Miyama, Funabashi, Chiba 274-8510, Japan
Japan Society for Promotion of Science, Kojimachi Business Center Building, 5-3-1 Kojimachi,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan
3
Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan*ishizuka.shintaro.37x@kyoto-u.jp

Females of female-philopatric species form lifelong affiliative relationships with one
another. Given that adult daughters can provide benefits to mothers in the future, mothers
may invest more in juvenile daughters than juvenile sons. A potential implication of thissex difference in investment is that mothers of juvenile daughters have reduced capacity
to form affiliative relationships with other adult females. We tested whether the strengthof female–female affiliative relationships varies depending on the sex of their juvenile
offspring in free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). We analyzed affiliativeinteractions (spatial proximity and social grooming) of 14 adult females to assess thestrength of affiliative relationships between them over a 3-month period. We found that
affiliative relationships between females with juvenile daughters were weaker than thosebetween females without juvenile daughters. In contrast, the presence of juvenile sons did
not significantly influence the strength of affiliative relationships between females.
Mothers associated more with juvenile daughters than with juvenile sons, suggesting thatmothers invested more in associating with juvenile daughters than with juvenile sons. Ourdata confirmed that females form strong affiliative relationships with kin, as is typical forthis species. The results imply that females invest more effort in offspring with whomthey can maintain affiliative relationships after maturing, which may reduce their level ofaffiliative relationships with non-kin. Further studies over longer time periods are
required to determine whether the reduction in non-kin affiliative relationships is
temporary or permanent.

40Study plan on domestic yak’s (Bos grunniens) population genomics
Chika Zemmoto1, Annegret Moto Naito-Liederbach1, Takuya Soma1,2 and Miho InoueMurayama1
Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto City, Kyoto prefecture, Japan
2
Hakubi Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto City, Kyoto prefecture, Japan1*

zemmoto.chika.48n@st.kyoto-u.ac.jp

The yak (Bos grunniens) is a bovine animal widely distributed in the highlands ofEurasia. In recent years, genetic studies on yaks have been conducted, and the wholegenome information of wild and captive individuals has been read and registered.
Remarkable results have been achieved not only in population genetic analysis but also
in the elucidation of structural genes that may contribute to adaptation to uplandenvironments. These results suggest that yak domestication began approximately 7,300
years ago in Qinghai, China. In addition, based on mitochondrial genomes, populationsin the Pamir Mountains, which border Central Asia and China, are thought to begenetically distant from populations in Qinghai, suggesting migration of yak populations.
These studies have been conducted primarily in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and
Qinghai Province. On the other hand, actual yaks are widely distributed not only in Tibet
but also in Eurasia, and it is difficult to fully understand the actual situation of widelydistributed populations only with current data. In this study, we will perform wholegenome resequencing of two populations in Kyrgyzstan, which borders China across the
Tien Shan Mountains in Central Asia. We aim to estimate the past effective population
size (Ne) variation using the already registered wild yak (Bos mutus) and domesticatedyaks in China and the two individuals in this study, and to estimate the time of divergencefrom the Tibetan Plateau population.

41