Primate Watching
Primatology
Taxonomy & Occurrence
Macaca maura is a monotypic species (no subspecies). They are only found in the remaining forest patches in the southwest peninsula of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia.
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IUCN Conservation Status
Endangered
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Moor Macaques inhabit one of the most deforested regions in Indonesia: Sulawesi Selatan, or South Sulawesi. Due to agriculture and urban development in the last 50 years, most of the lowland forest has been deforested, forcing Moor Macaques to survive in the remaining mountain forest patches. Nowadays, the landscape occupied by the Moor Macaques is highly fragmented, composed of forest patches surrounded by agricultural fields, villages and surface mining operations. This highly fragmented habitat threatens their survival by isolating populations and hindering genetic exchange, increasing the probability of local and regional extinctions. Moreover, this human-influenced habitat increases the conflicts between macaques and humans, especially when macaques forage crops. Therefore, it is vital to strengthen Moor Macaque’s and Sulawesi’s forest conservation projects to improve human-macaque coexistence and protect Moor Macaques from extinction. The Macaca Maura Project, Project SEED and Balla Konservasi Wallacea work on the conservation of Moor Macaque in Sulawesi Selatan by improving human-wildlife interactions, environmental education and conservation plans in the region.
Seeing this Species
Moor Macaques are mostly black-brown, with dark faces and very short tail. However, there are some individuals with grey fur, and interestingly, there is almost always an individual with mostly whitish fur within the group. Females show genital swelling during fertile periods, and newborns show clear/nude skin before turning dark.
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In the north of the Moor Macaque distribution (Pinrang, Enrekang and Luwu regencies), you may also find Tonkean Macaques (Macaca tonkeana), where these two species form hybrid groups. However, due to deforestation, the Moor Macaque population in the north has been isolated from the rest of the populations and nowadays Moor Macaques are almost extinct in the northern region. You could also find Makassar Tarsier (Tarsius fuscus) along the geographic distribution of Moor Macaques.
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Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia
Nicknamed "The Kingdom of Butterflies", the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park (ca. 43,750 ha) is known as the second-largest karst area in the world and ​contains one of the oldest known cave paintings. The National Park also includes the Karaengta Forest where a group of habituated Moor Macaques can be found. The group was habituated during the 1980s by Japanese researchers, and it has been studied since then by different research projects.
A national road crosses the National Park from southwest to northeast, along which different groups of Moor Macaques can be found, including the habituated group. It is recommended to visit the area between May and November so as to avoid the rainy season.
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You can easily reach the National Park from Makassar-Maros, where the Hasanuddin International Airport is located. From Makassar you can take a taxi or public transport to Bantimurung (30 min), where the main National Park office is located. There you can pay the entrance fee and ask to visit the macaque group in Karaengta. You may need private transport to go to Karaengta (30 min), and it is recommended to contact the National Park beforehand through social media or email to confirm that local guides can take you to spot the group.
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Probability of success: â—† â—† â—† â—† â—†
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Overlapping species:
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Makassar Tarsier (Tarsius fuscus)
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Local contact: Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park Office
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Other sites:
TAHURA Bontobahari, Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
The Taman Hutan Raya (TAHURA) Bontobahari is a nature reserve located in the southeastern tip of the South Sulawesi peninsula. The nature reserve protects one of the last lowland forests in the region, and the last Moor Macaque populations inhabiting coastal and mangrove forests. The nature reserve borders in the south with the Pantai Bara and Pantai Bira beaches, which are two hotspots for local and diving tourism. As such, the area contains several tourist lodges, around which different groups of macaques can be found in the remaining forest patches. This region is one of the two field sites where the Macaca Maura Project (MMP) works; one group of Moor Macaques has being studied since 2019.
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From Makassar you can take a taxi to Bira (around 6 hrs). Once in Bira you might need to go to Bara (5 mins), the next beach where the macaques can be found. You might see different groups along the road as well. It is recommended to contact the MMP beforehand so that they may be able to help with accommodation and transport recommendations in the area.
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Probability of success: â—† â—† â—† â—† â—†
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Overlapping species:
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Makassar Tarsier (Tarsius fuscus)
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Local contact: Macaca Maura Project
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Hutan Pendidikan, Maros Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
The Hutan Pendidikan (Teaching Forest) is a protected forest next to the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park, managed by the Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) Forestry Faculty. Formerly a pine forest for resin production, it is now a reserve containing patches of secondary forest, pine forest and some agricultural fields. The reserve is mainly used for ecological research by the university. There are several groups of macaques within the Hutan Pendidikan, where Project SEED and MMP carry out research and conservation projects.
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Contact Hutan Pendidikan managers by social media or email and ask for permission to visit the reserve. It takes around 1.5 hrs by taxi from Makassar, including crossing the Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park through the main road.
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Probability of success: â—† â—† â—† â—† â—†
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Overlapping species:
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Makassar Tarsier (Tarsius fuscus)
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Local contact: UNHAS Forestry Faculty​​​​
A juvenile Moor Macaque looking pensive
© Victor Beltran Frances
Bantimurung-Bulusaraung National Park
A coastal home of the Moor Macaques
© Victor Beltran Frances
TAHURA Bontobahari, Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi
Contributed by Victor Beltran Frances
Page last updated: 31 December 2024
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