Sleeping site selection of Thomas' langurs, lar gibbons and siamangs in Sumatra, Indonesia

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Tropical forests are hotspots for biodiversity and hold some of the world’s most unique flora and fauna. Southeast Asia however, is experiencing the highest rate of deforestation globally, clearing forests with intensive logging practices for monoculture plantations. In Indonesia alone, only 3.8% of original primary forest remains. Both intensive and selective logging practises alter the forests’ arrangement by removing the largest and most commercially valuable trees. As such, it is important to understand how this modification to habitats may affect species’ behaviours. Arboreal primates spend the majority of their lives in the tree tops and must therefore select specific trees to perform certain behaviours, such as foraging, travelling, singing, resting and sleeping.  Removal of these trees may alter primate behaviour, which may result in reduced species fitness and ultimately extinction. Primates spend up to 50% of their time at sleeping sites, yet the understanding of how and why individuals or groups select specific site is only just becoming a focal point in primatology. Therefore, it would be useful and interesting to know why primates select sleeping sites and how the availability of sleeping sites across the region may have been altered through logging practises. The loss of certain tree charasteristics could influence intra- and inter- species competition as a result. By studying the behaviours of primates it may be possible to make inferences about the evolution of anthropological behaviours. It will also be scientifically useful and intrinsically valuable to know which trees and habitats are most favourable, leading to more efficient conservation management

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