Fig 1
Fig 2
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Order : PRIMATES
Family : Cercopithecidae
Species : Macaca arctoides
Head-body length : 48-63 cm
Weight : 8-12 kg
The Stump-tailed Macaque occurs in a variety of
habitats on mainland Southeast Asia, including primary or secondary forest,
degraded forest-edge and low scrub. It is restricted to hilly or montane
areas, up to 2000 metres elevation.
This macaque spends most of its time on the ground, but it can climb trees when required.
It is mainly a fruit eater, but it will also consume other parts of plants,
such as seeds and buds, supplemented by small invertebrates, such as insects
and more rarely small vertebrates.
Its body form is stocky and muscular, rather like the
Northern Pig-tailed Macaque,
but in contrast its tail is reduced to a short stump of just a few
centimetres. Its fur is typically dark brown, but sometimes blackish. Adult
males typically have long, shaggy fur on the top and sides of the head. The skin
on the face is devoid of fur and is reddish in colour. Infants have sparse,
but long, white fur.
Large troupes of this macaque, comprising many tens of individuals, may be
encountered. Their temperament may be unpredictable: typically they will
flee from confrontation with humans, but at other times may be emboldened
and aggressive.
The Stump-tailed Macaque occurs in hilly and mountainous areas of northern
India (Assam), northern Myanmar, southern China, western and southern
Thailand, northwestern Peninsular Malaysia (Perlis), Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Figs 1 and 2 : Two males seen in Perlis, northern Peninsular Malaysia, near
the border with Thailand. They were part of a troupe of around 50
individuals which had made an early morning foray into a small oil palm
plantation near primary, lowland forest.
Fig 3 : Young adult with medium brown fur, and typical reddish face, caught
on camera trap at Virachey National Park, Cambodia. Photo thanks to Greg
McCann.
Fig 4 : Adult female at Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand. Photo thanks
to Charles Currin.
Fig 5 : A pink-skinned infant with white fur suckles from its mother at Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand.
Photo thanks to Charles Currin.
References :
Francis, C.M. 2019. A Field Guide to the Mammals of South-east Asia. Second
Edition. New Holland. 416 pp.
Lekagul, B., McNeely, J., 1977. Mammals of Thailand. Association for the
Conservation of Wildlife, Thailand. 758 pp.
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