CRESTED BLACK MACAQUES (MACACA NIGRA); CRESTED BLACK MACAQUES are among the largest of the Sulawesi macaques, a typical adult female weighs around 7 kilograms, while an adult male may reach 11 kilograms. Long muzzles are accentuated by prominent cheekbones that, in adult males, harbor the well-developed canines that are frequently flashed in a display of weaponry. Their sleek black coats are offset by fleshy pink pads on their bottoms. The most striking aspect of their appearance however, is their coiffure. Crested black macaques, as their name implies, sport a long tuft of hair on the top of their head. Crested black macaques live in large groups of 30-100 animals. The groups are centered around female matriarchies, with females generally outnumbering males four to one. Groups spend nearly most of their time foraging for fruits, which comprise nearly 70% of their diet. The remainder of their diet is composed mainly of insects, which supply the protein they need. Macaques store food in specialized pouches in their cheeks; as they walk, they may dip into their pouches, consume the fleshy part of a fruit, then spit out the seed. In this manner, they spread fruit pips widely across the forest floor, potentially enhancing forest regeneration. Groups may move from as much as 4 km to as little as 0.5 km in a single day. Each group has a core area in which it spends most of its time, and groups have preferred sleeping sites. Black macaques sleep high in canopy trees and descend soon after sunrice to begin foraging. The monkeys spend roughly half of their time on the ground and half in the trees, easily switching back and forth as they search for food. Groups sometimes encounter one another as they travel and may fight if there is a large fruiting tree at stake, especially a highly prized fig. Red, swollen bottoms on females indicate that they are sexually receptive. Females asually copulate with several of the adult males in the group. After conception, pregnancy lasts for about 6 months. Adult females give birth at approximately 18 month intervals, and births occur throughout the year. Infant macaques have white faces, arms, and underbodies, these slowly turn black before 4 to 6 months of age. Crested black macaques have highly organized and complex social behavior. Adult males form dominance hierarchies, like the "packing order" in chickens, in which the largest, most dominant males get preferential access to food and mates. Adult females do most of the grooming, which allows the monkeys to remove parasites from their fur and also helps the females strengthen social bonds with other group members. Juveniles spend much time tumbling and wrestling with each other; the open-mouthed smile, or "play face", indicates young animals are playing, not fighting. The Tangkoko DuaSudara Nature Reserve is one of the last strongholds for the dwindling population of black macaques in North Sulawesi. There are about 3000 monkeys remaining in the reserve. The Tangkoko population has experienced a 75% decline since 1979 due to hunting and habitat destruction. Macaques are hunted for food and pets throughout the year but they are particularly vulnerable in December when they are sought for traditional Minahasan Christmas dinners. Like many of the large mammals in Tangkoko, Crested black macaques are endangered and if current trends continue they may face extinction within the next 25 years. |
