Heck macaque
| Heck macaque | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Macaca hecki | ||||||||||||
| ( Matschie , 1901) |
The Heck Macaque ( Macaca hecki ) is a species of primate from the genus of Macaques within the family of vervet monkeys (Cercopithecidae). It is closely related to the Tonkean macaque and was previously considered to be a subspecies thereof.
distribution
Heck macaques live exclusively in the south and center of the northern peninsula of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi . Their habitat is undisturbed or only slightly influenced by humans, tropical rainforests up to heights of 1600 to 1800 meters. In the forests there is a humid climate with an annual rainfall of 2500 to 3000 mm (in the mountains even more) and only two to three relatively dry months a year. The extent to which the species can also live in heavily disturbed forests or secondary forests is still unknown.
features
Heck macaques reach a head body length of 58 to 68 (males) or 50 to 57 (females) centimeters, plus a tail 2 to 3 centimeters long. Their weight varies between 8 and 10 (males) or 7 to 8 (females) kilograms. The fur of these animals is black on the back and brown on the belly, the black face is hairless. The forearms are brown, the legs gray or light brown. A mop of hair like the crested macaque is missing. The bean-shaped, hairless seat calluses on the buttocks are gray or yellowish. From the Gorontalo macaque , which also occurs on the northern peninsula of Sulawesi but to the east of its range, the tail macaque differs primarily in that it has a less baboon-like head and limbs that are lighter than the trunk. The southern Tonkean macaque, on the other hand, has black limbs and a belly that is just as black as the back. In addition, the Tonkean macaque has light whiskers that the Heck macaque lacks.
Way of life
Little is known about the way of life of the Heck macaque; the species is the least explored species of macaque in Sulawesi. Heck macaques are mainly arboreal and live in groups of 7 to 20 in strong groups with several males and females. The territory that a group claims is relatively large with an area of more than 100 hectares. Young males leave the group when they reach sexual maturity, while females stay there. Like the other two macaque species on the northern Sulawesi peninsula (crested macaque and Tonkean macaque), the tail macaque feeds more on fruits and insects and less on leaves like the macaques in southern Sulawesi. In addition, crops such as corn , yams , manioc , papaya , bananas and cocoa are consumed. The females get a single young animal after a gestation period of 174 to 196 days. The mother takes care of the young animal for a year, which becomes sexually mature at the age of 4.
Hazard and protection
Due to the destruction of its habitat, the species is listed by the IUCN in the " Vulnerable " category. The species is under protection in Indonesia, but there are no effective, larger protected areas in the species' habitat. In 1994 the population was estimated at 100,000 animals. Since then he has lost a lot of weight.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Elizabeth L. Gadsby, Colin P. Groves, Aoife Healy, K. Praveen Karanth, Sanjay Molur, Tilo Nadler, Matthew C. Richardson, Erin P. Riley, Anthony B. Rylands, Lori K. Sheeran, Nelson Ting, Janette Wallis, Siân S. Waters & Danielle J. Whittaker: Family Cercopithecidae (Old World Monkeys). Page 632 in Russell A. Mittermeier , Anthony B. Rylands & Don E. Wilson : Handbook of the Mammals of the World: - Volume 3. Primates. Lynx Editions, 2013 ISBN 978-8496553897
- ↑ Macaca hecki in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006. Posted by: A. Eudey & Members of the Primate Specialist Group, 2000. Retrieved on 12 May, 2006.