Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Box 2.1 Preliminary survey of the long-tailed macaques
(
Macaca fascicularis
) on Java, Indonesia: Distribution and
human-primate conflict.
Randall C. Kyes, Entang Iskandar and Joko Pamungkas
Despite presumed abundance and widespread distribution, little recent
data exists on the status of the long-tailed macaque (
Macaca fascicu-
laris
) population in Indonesia. Currently, the long-tailed macaque is
categorized as Least Concern (ver 3.1) in the IUCN Red List, a designa-
tion based in part on “…its wide distribution…” and “…presumed large
population…” (Ong, P. and Richardson, M.
2008
). In an effort to provide
current information on the distribution of the long-tailed macaque and
assess increasing media reports of growing human-primate conflict on
Java, Indonesia, we conducted a preliminary survey of the island from
6-12 January 2009.
The survey originated in Bogor, West Java and involved a west-to-east
loop of the island covering a total of 2,160 km. Time and funding con-
straints limited our ability for a more extensive survey of the island. We
visited several target sites based on reported macaque sightings by media
and forestry officials, and searched for additional sites based on leads
from local people along the way. Travel and observation occurred from
7 am until 8 pm daily and involved the use of secondary roads to allow
for frequent stops to query local people. We stopped on average, every
15-20 km (i.e., approximately 100 stops along our route), and surveyed
more than 250 people to inquire about monkey sightings/conflict in the
area. When we received a report of monkeys in the area, we traveled to
the location (often into remote village and forest areas) to investigate the
report. At each site where monkeys were reported, we walked around the
immediate area to permit observation and confirmation of monkey pres-
ence and possible human-primate conflict. In cases where we were not
able to confirm the presence of monkeys via our personal observation
(i.e., “confirmed sighting”), we coded the location as “reported sighting,”
defined as independent reports of monkeys by at least three individuals
who were not associated with one another.
Over the seven-day period, we identified and visited a total of 22 sites
along our route where wild, free-ranging long-tailed macaques were
reported. The sites included nature reserves (
cagar alam
), agricultural
areas, villages, local tourist areas (e.g., parks, picnic areas, recreation
