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Sulawesi
macaques...
Sulawesi has 7 different macaque species, each occupying rather
small ranges across the island. Why there is little
overlap or direct competition for food is a mystery to
me. My friend and guide for the trip was the
first and principal researcher of the macaques of Sulawesi
helping to habituate many troups of animals both in Buton Island
and elsewhere.
Buton
macaque Macaca ochreata brunnescens Buton
Island lies at the extreme south-eastern tip of Sulawesi.
Here is found a variant of the common Booted macaque of the
Sulawesi mainland, often taken to be a subspecies.
Here
we can see the distinguishing pale "boots" of the
macaque. These macaques live in rainforest habitat, with
home ranges of only a square kilometre or two. Group sizes
are quite small at around 20 individuals, but where these
monkeys are exploiting farm crops within villages, their numbers
swell to double this or more.
Here,
a mature male is attempting to steal coconuts....
and
here it's sweet potato.
Here,
a mature male is trapped in a snare for its sins, destined to
become bushmeat (although for a packet of cigarettes costing
£0.20, I got this one released!).
Crested
black macaque
Macaca nigra
An
amazingly photogenic endemic species of macaque confined to the volcanic dry tropical
forest in the far north of Sulawesi. Large troupes exist here,
often 50 or more strong. 
They
are very gregarious, devoting a large part of their time to
grooming and socialising.
The
youngsters are always playing.
They
spend a lot of time on the forest floor moving between fruiting
trees such as fig.
Larger
fruits such a Jack Fruits don't present much of a challenge as
these animals have enormous canine teeth!
Very
large teeth....but for eating fruit? .
Maybe
for fighting? Disputes
often break out but are short lived. None of the crowd
seem impressed by this - no teeth!
That's
better. Some
of the macaques get quite interested in cameras.
Others
think it's a howl.
David
J Slater meets the inhabitants of the Sulawesi rainforest
back
to Sulawesi Gallery
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