Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Watanabe
et al
.,
2007
; Wheatley,
1988
), none of these cases are reported to be
customary traditions as in
M. f. aurea
(Gumert
et al
.,
2009
).
Some of the distinctions between subspecies concluded from morphological
studies have been supported by a small amount of genetic work. The subspe-
cies on the fringing islands off the coast of Sumatra show substantial gen-
etic differentiation from the macaques on mainland Sumatra (Scheffran
et al
.,
1996
). There also seems to be a distinct difference in blood proteins between
the macaques of the Philippines and others regions, indicating a genetic dis-
tinction between
M. f. philippinensis
and
M. f. fascicularis
(Fooden,
1991
).
Moreover, mitochondrial DNA work has shown that Philippine long-tailed
macaques went through a bottleneck after being colonized by Indonesian long-
tailed macaques, and have since largely remained genetically isolated from the
Indonesian stock. (Blancher
et al
.,
2008
) Overall, the subspecific variation of
long-tailed macaques needs to be better discerned and it will be important to
investigate the differentiation across all the identified subspecies. Such infor-
mation will help us understand the significance of subspecific differentiation
in long-tailed macaques, and will also be a useful guide for conservation and
management strategy decisions.
Population status of each subspecies
Long-tailed macaques in the Philippines,
M. f. philippinensis
, were in high
abundance prior to 1960. Since that time, the population has been decimated
as a result of trapping and forest conversion practices (Fooden,
1991
), but
no clear population estimates are provided with these claims. The popula-
tion of Andaman long-tailed macaques (
M. f. aurea)
in Myanmar may not
be very large, appears fragmented, and may be threatened by human devel-
opment and trade (San and Hamada, Chapter 2). In Thailand,
M. f. aurea
are
only reported in a few locations around Ranong province (Malaivijitnond
and Hamada,
2008
), and in Bangladesh they are considered a critically
endangered species according to national laws (Khanam
et al
.,
2005
). The
core subspecies,
M. f. fascicularis
is reported to be widespread but declin-
ing because local populations are disappearing in some regions, such as
Cambodia (see Box 3.1), while others are expanding into more human-
interface zones and thus facing higher levels of conflict (Wheatley and Putra,
1994b
; Eudey,
2008
). There may now be a larger percentage of the popula-
tion residing around human settlements, making a large number of monkeys
vulnerable to human activity.
The population levels of the small island subspecies are not well understood,
but we do have some information.
M. f. umbrosa
has been assessed and is
