Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
was translocated from Wat Thammikaram Worawiharn, Prachuap Khirikhan
Province (11° 48' 41” N, 99° 48' 05” E). Wat Thammikaram Worawiharn
is a recreational park on a hill, which is surrounded by human settlements,
the sea and the temple. Since there is limited habitat and heavy provisioning
by many tourists, the population at Wat Thammikaram Worawiharn became
locally overcrowded. To alleviate this overpopulation issue, some of the mon-
keys were trapped and translocated by the local government. Nong Yai Water
Reservoir also had groups of long-tailed macaques. Subsequently, a native
troop of conspecifics at the Nong Yai Water Reservoir faced competition for
resources from the translocated troop.
The release of heterospecific pet macaques
Another potential threat to long-tailed macaques in Thailand is the release of
pet macaques. Although keeping macaques as pets is illegal in Thailand, many
pet macaques, especially infants, can be found. Frequently, when the monkeys
reach sexual maturity and become aggressive, the pet is released. Thai people
rearing pet macaques usually release them into the vicinity of wild or semi-
wild macaque troops. Because long-tailed macaques can easily be seen, the pet
owners release their pet macaques into those troops. We found released female
pig-tailed macaques in Wat Tasang Tai, Nakhon Sawan Province (15° 56' 53”
N, 99° 57' 15” E), Sarn Pra Karn, Lopburi Province (14° 48' 08” N, 100° 36'
53” E), and Khao Sam Muk, Chon Buri Province (13° 18' 45” N, 100° 54' 14”
E). A released female stump-tailed macaque was also found in Sarn Pra Karn.
In addition to the release of heterospecific macaques into a group of long-
tailed macaques, a released long-tailed macaque was also found in a troop of
stump-tailed macaques at the Khao Krapuk-Khao Tao Mo Non-hunting area,
Petchaburi Province (12° 47' 46” N, 99° 44' 42.4” E) (
Figure 5.5
).
Sympatry between long-tailed and heterospecific macaques
The monkeys in Kumpawaphi City Park, Udon Thani Province (17° 06' 37”
N, 103° 01' 14” E) showed mixed morphological characteristics of long-tailed,
rhesus, and pig-tailed macaques (
Figure 5.6
). Based on reports from the local
residents, the pig-tailed macaques in this population were released in the recent
past. However, the presence of the other two species in the past was only anec-
dotal. A gazette printed by the local governor for the opening ceremony of the
city hall in the year 2000, stated that macaque monkeys (without specifying the
species) had lived in the area for hundreds of years. Museum records suggest
that this area is on the edge of the range of rhesus and long-tailed macaques
(Fooden
1995
;
2000
). In fact, long-tailed and rhesus macaques are segregated
