Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
therefore visitors become highly attractive to the macaques. A serious conse-
quence of this is that macaques frequently display aggression, which can result
in bites and scratches (Fuentes,
2006
; Fuentes and Gamerl,
2005
; Engel
et al
.,
2002
). The violence is reciprocal, as humans also show high levels of aggres-
sion towards macaques and monkeys, and this can be physically damaging. For
example, some macaques have lost an eye from sling shot pellets or have dam-
aged tails and limbs (Gumert, pers. obs.). Monkeys are fed and taken care of on
temple grounds, but when they move off these grounds they are harassed, hunted,
and killed, generally for pest-related reasons or for food (Aggimarangsee,
1992
;
Eudey, 1994). This distinction is formalized legally in Thailand in section 25 of
the 1960 Wildlife Conservation Act, stating that no one can kill or harm animals
at any religious sites, but offers no protection for such animals when they move
outside these regions (Aggimarangsee,
1992
). Research shows this is also the
case in Bali. Gunshot pellets were found in the bodies of more than a third of a
sample of temple monkeys X-rayed (Jones-Engel
et al
.,
2002
; Schillaci
et al
.,
2010
), and in many sympatric regions of Bali they are hunted, eaten and captured
for trade (Louden
et al
.,
2006
). The reality is that no formalized legal protection
is offered to long-tailed macaques, and their good fortune while at temple sites is
largely due to the sanctity of the real estate.
Reserves and recreation parks
The macaque-human interface also occurs at recreation parks and nature
reserves, such as in Pangandaran, West Java, (Engelhardt,
1997
) where
they are habituated and interact with tourists. They are also found in simi-
lar forest parks throughout Thailand (Aggimarangsee,
1992
; Malaivijitnond
et al
.,
2005
). In Singapore, macaques frequent several nature parks, includ-
ing Bukit Timah and MacRitchie Reservoir (Sha
et al
.,
2009a
; Sha
et al
.,
2009b
). This type of interface occurs all over Southeast Asia and represents
a common interface for macaques and humans. In park and reserve settings,
macaques snatch food from people picnicking in the parks and can be threat-
ening to visitors. People tend to enjoy feeding the macaques in this context
and appear interested and frequently stop to photograph them. The severity
of conflict in these setting ranges greatly.
Monkey islands
Sometimes, dense long-tailed macaque populations are found on small
riverine islands near large human settlements, which are likely the result of
