Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
List
2009
. IUCN has also listed the long-tailed macaque as one of the “100
Worst Alien Invasive Species.” Although long-tailed macaques are the most
frequently observed species among five species of macaques in Thailand and
the populations are locally overcrowded (Malaivijitnond and Hamada,
2008
;
Malaivijitnond
et al
.,
2009
), their current numbers may not be comparable with
populations that previously occupied natural forest habitats and were never
assessed. Based on the summary of IUCN
2009
, their overall population has
a declining trend, but our data suggests that maybe the macaques are increas-
ing in number in human-landscaped environments. A recent article by Eudey
(
2008
) calls for a reassessment of the conservation status of this species due
to its rapid decline, particularly as a result of trapping and trade for use in
the pharmaceutical industry. There are suspicions that individuals are being
illegally sourced for the trade from wild populations. Furthermore, it has been
suggested that trafficking of “temple monkeys” to Cambodia from Thailand for
further export may have existed for years (Eudey,
2008
). Similar concerns and
suspicions over illegal sourcing of wild-caught long-tailed macaques have also
been expressed by other studies and organizations (Yiming and Dianmo,
1998
;
Malone
et al
.,
2003
; Hamada
et al
., Chapter 3; see Box 1.2 and 3.1)
Elements of Asian culture have granted some primate species relative
protection when living within temple complexes (Fuentes
et al
.,
2005
).
Thailand's main religion is Buddhism, with 85-94 percent of the total popu-
lation practicing Theravada Buddhism (International Religious Freedom
Report,
2005
). Buddhism frowns upon harming and/or consuming primates
(Sponsel
et al
.,
2002
; Wolfe,
2002
; Zhao,
2005
). They often encourage the
giving of “offerings” in order to gain spiritual merit. Offerings frequently
take the form of food items and can become provisioning for primates, either
directly (people feeding the monkeys by actively handing or throwing food at
them) or indirectly (providing edible offerings at the shrine and the monkeys
later taking them) (Aggimarangsee,
1992
; Fuentes
et al
.,
2005
; Zhao,
2005
).
The result of this human support has led to the population of long-tailed
macaques becoming overcrowded in many anthropogenic environments in
Thailand.
Information from the questionnaire survey
From the questionnaire survey, the largest number of negative replies (i.e., no
monkey observed) is in the northeastern region. Most of Kamnans in the north-
eastern region have lived long in respective sub-districts to observe the history
of environmental change and the loss of wildlife. They described that local
macaque populations became extinct or were exterminated about thirty years
