Infant Long-tailed Macaque Rescued

We received a call from person who had recently acquired a very young infant long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) after her mother had been killed by hunters. The person in question has decided that keeping a wild animal as pet was not a good idea and asked us for help. Let us introduce you too ‘Ma Kood” she is approximately 4 weeks’ old, having witnessed her mother being butchered she was sold on as a pet. She should still be with mother and would be very reliant on her care until she is around 1-year-old.

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. Although it is under heavy hunting pressure for the pet trade, meat, sport and trophies, this is not considered a major threat to the species overall. Females are often taken into breeding facilities and males are exported internationally primarily for use in laboratory research. They are regularly persecuted as pests. Habitat loss is also a localised threat, but the species can persist in a variety of habitats and very adaptable.

Ma Kood is still yearning for her mother’s care, she is so young and will require round the clock care for some time, When she is a little older she will introduced to some other young macaques in a large open field here at the WFFT Wildlife Rescue Centre.