Moor macaque facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Moor macaque |
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Macaca
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maura
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The Moor macaque (Macaca maura) is a type of macaque monkey. It has brown or black fur and a light patch on its bottom. Its skin on the rump is pink. These monkeys are about 50–58.5 cm long.
Moor macaques eat figs, bamboo seeds, buds, and sprouts. They also eat invertebrates (like insects) and cereals. They live in tropical rainforests. Sometimes people call them "dog-apes" because their faces look a bit like a dog's.
These macaques live only on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. This island is very important for its many different kinds of plants and animals.
The Moor macaque is in danger mainly because its home is being destroyed. This happens as more people live on the island and cut down forests for farms. The number of Moor macaques has dropped a lot. In 1983, there were about 56,000. By 1994, there were fewer than 10,000.
Moor macaques usually live in groups of 15 to 40 monkeys. Females often stay with their birth group, while males move to new groups. They are active during the day and spend time both in trees and on the ground. They look for food in trees and travel on the ground.
Studies show that Moor macaques spend most of their time eating where there is plenty of food. When groups are larger, they spend more time looking for food. This is because they spend less time watching for danger.
These monkeys are very important for the environment. Like other fruit-eating primates, they help forests grow. They spread seeds and help plants share their genes. This helps new trees grow and keeps forests healthy.
The Moor macaque has been on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species since 2015. This means they are considered an endangered species.
Contents
Discovering the Moor Macaque
The Moor macaque was first described by a scientist named Heinrich Rudolf Schinz in 1825. This was when it became known to Western science.
Where Moor Macaques Live
The Indonesian island of Sulawesi is home to seven different kinds of macaques. The Moor macaque is one of them. It lives only on this island. The IUCN Red List says it is an endangered species.
The Moor macaque is the only macaque species that naturally lived in South Sulawesi. These monkeys are very adaptable. They can live in different parts of the forest, including areas that have been changed by humans. They do not have many natural enemies or other animals competing with them for food. A group of Moor macaques usually uses an area about 20-30 hectares wide.
You can find them in lowland forests, grasslands, and rocky limestone areas. They even live near human homes. They are often seen with Malkoha birds. These birds eat grasshoppers that the macaques scare out of the trees.
Macaques living near people are often found where there are farm animals. These areas usually have fewer traps that could harm them. They mostly live in the karst forest areas of South Sulawesi. Karst forests have lots of food for them. Researchers found that out of 107 tree species, 74 were important food sources for macaques.
One important area is the Karaenta forest in Bantimurung–Bulusaraung National Park. This forest has many fig trees. It is also separated from larger forests. This means many Moor macaques live there, and they have smaller home ranges.
The rocky karst tower forests are not as good for finding food. But they offer a safe place from humans. The Tabo-tabo forest in Pangkep is another important area. It is a secondary forest, meaning it has grown back after being disturbed. This forest has rich soil and many different plants. This makes it a great place for Moor macaques to live.
Moor Macaque Behavior
Moor macaques spend most of their time eating. After that, they spend time moving, resting, and interacting with each other.
Social Life and Groups
Male Moor macaques leave their birth groups when they are about 7 to 9 years old. Females usually stay with their families. This helps prevent inbreeding and keeps the group's genes diverse. Moor macaque groups are usually peaceful and not very aggressive.
Sometimes, a group of Moor macaques might split into two smaller groups. This does not seem to happen because females are fighting over food. Instead, it might be due to competition among males. It could also happen when groups try to set up their own territories.
Sulawesi macaques, including Moor macaques, have unique ways of communicating. They have a quiet "bared-teeth" display. This means they show their teeth without being aggressive. It shows they have peaceful intentions and want friendly interactions. Adult males also make a loud, bird-like call.
When Moor macaques have conflicts, they stay close to each other. They show strong aggression but also try to make up quickly. They do not rely much on family members for support during fights.
Snakes are common predators for primates. Monkeys quickly spotting snakes may have helped them develop good eyesight. When primates see a snake, they often make alarm calls. These calls warn others or attract group members to mob the snake.
The way groups split can show how different species behave socially. It also shows how their environment and population size affect them. Studying group splitting helps us understand why primates live in different types of groups.
Special friendships between males and females do not seem to cause group splitting in Moor macaques. Female Moor macaques are not very involved in fights between groups. However, male aggression towards other groups is much more common.
Younger Moor macaques spend more time playing than grooming each other. Their play involves many individuals and different play behaviors. They often make play faces and engage in physical play. Serious fights are not common during play.
What Moor Macaques Eat
Moor macaques have a flexible diet, meaning they can eat many different things. This helps them live in changing habitats. Insects, young leaves, and shoots are important foods, especially in areas where their habitat has changed a lot.
Some of the trees they eat from include Garcinia nervosa, Arenga pinnata, and Ficus species.
Unlike other macaques, family ties may not affect how close Moor macaques stay while eating. This might be because there isn't much competition for food within their groups. If there was strong competition, lower-ranking females might move away to form new, smaller groups.
Raising Young Macaques
Moor macaque mothers usually stay close to their female relatives. This is especially true when they are moving or resting. Females also stay close to other females with newborn babies. This happens no matter what the group is doing.
Moor Macaques and Humans
Human activities are a big threat to Moor macaques. Their homes are being broken up and changed. Traps set in the forest also endanger them. More than half of their population has disappeared in the last 30 years.
Because of human activities, Moor macaques are interacting more with people. Primates often struggle to adapt to changes in their environment. Since they only live on Sulawesi, their interactions used to be mostly with park staff and researchers. These people would sometimes feed them.
Since 2015, they have started interacting with vehicles on a road in their home range. This is inconsistent feeding. Research shows that human interaction can harm the macaques' social groups. Strong social groups are important for baby macaques to survive. They also help with social status and successful reproduction.
Studies show that Moor macaques react differently to humans based on past experiences. It's easier to approach them in open areas with more trees. When people purposely feed wild monkeys, the monkeys can quickly get used to humans. They might approach people for food or even act aggressively to get it.
Feeding can mean monkeys spend less energy looking for food. They might have more time to rest and socialize. It can also lead to more births. However, feeding can also be dangerous. It can increase the risk of injuries, and diseases can spread between animals and humans.
Many people on Sulawesi keep macaques as pets. This can lead to diseases spreading both ways. Most pet macaques are caught as babies. This happens when hunters trap mothers and babies, or when traps are set to stop monkeys from raiding crops. Moor macaques are seen less often in open areas without trees. They are seen more often in areas with more forest cover. Also, they are seen less where there are many traps. They are seen more where there are many farm animals.
Protecting Moor Macaques
Tourism, hunting, farming, and logging are major threats to Moor macaques. These activities destroy their homes. About 80% of Sulawesi's forests have been changed or lost. Only 30% remain in good condition. This means protecting Moor macaques is a big concern.
Even in protected areas, forests in southern Sulawesi are still being cut down. So, protecting Moor macaques must be a top priority. Their population is shrinking fast. To help them, we need to know more about their lives and how their populations change.
The Moor macaque's conservation status is high, meaning they are important to protect. But their situation is not good because their habitat is so damaged. Experts suggest creating new protected areas and making existing ones larger. As forests shrink and get worse, it becomes harder to protect these monkeys. Also, more people living on the island negatively affect both the macaques and their homes.
Studies show that Moor macaque populations are low outside protected areas. This supports the idea that their numbers are falling, especially in the southern forests. Researchers found a lot of human activity in forests where Moor macaques live. They also found that more hunting traps in a forest meant fewer macaques were seen. In one National Park, Moor macaques decreased due to human settlements and road traffic. This puts them at risk of food poisoning and road accidents.
During a survey, many Moor macaques were seen in agroforests (areas with both trees and farms). They were seen eating corn. This shows that different types of farms can affect where Moor macaques live. Combining well-preserved forests with small farm patches can help protect them.
Other studies also show that agroforests and forest cover can help increase Moor macaque populations. So, protecting and conserving forests in South Sulawesi is important for the remaining groups. Raising awareness about how important Moor macaques are for the environment is also key. Encouraging people to do things that are good for nature will help protect these monkeys. More studies are needed in other parts of the island to fully protect this species.
Images for kids
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A male Moor macaque.
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Map showing the Moor macaque's habitat.
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Moor macaques grooming each other.
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Moor macaques eating together.
