Dog Attack Long-tailed Macaque Returns Home

Last week the WFFT Vet team went out to rescue an injured male long-tailed macaque that had been attacked by a pack of dogs and had sustained some minor injuries. He was brought to the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Centre for treatment.

The long-tailed macaque is listed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN Red list of Threatened Species, in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, tolerance of a broad range of habitats, occurrence in a number of protected areas. Females are often taken into breeding facilities and males are exported internationally primarily for use in laboratory research. Habitat loss and degradation due to human encroachment, pose the biggest threat to all macaque species. They are regularly persecuted as pests. Increasing competition between macaques and humans due the increase in need of land for agriculture and other human activities is the foremost reason that macaques are persecuted as pests.

Hostile encounters with macaques are common in urban areas due to the active promotion of their presence for spiritual and entertainment purposes by provisioning food for the macaques. We (humans) both promote population growth through the provision of food and the protection habitat, and on the other hand we hinder it through the continued fragmentation of habitat, capture and exportation for research, and the pet-trade.

Yesterday this very handsome macaque made his way home. Upon arrival to his release he was greeted by many other macaque friends. Another successful rescue-rehab-release story. We wish him the best of luck for his future back in the wild.