Long tailed Macaques go on to open field!

After many years in cages 20 long-tailed macaques are now living in an open enclosure complete with trees, a pool, caves and plenty of space! Finally the day has come for Friday and Kijke to live together in a large group.

Grooming Females

 

Kijke on watch

 

" I promised Friday and Kijke years ago that they will live at least in a group of their own kind, knowing that release back to the wild is almost impossible. With all the work and continuous rescues going on we never had the time or money to do something nice for the macaques however. But a promise is a promise, now 20 macaques live in a 1500sqm enclosure with lots of enrichments. Macaques are usually not seen as important and therefore live in not to large cages. I am proud to show you our first open macaque enclosure! Friday and Kijke, please behave with all these girls in there! " ---Edwin Wiek---

 

Friday on the lookout

View around the enclosure

 

Putting so many macaques in one enclosure is difficult, we did it all on the same day. Edwin had to stay in to keep them away from each other in case of a massive fight. Luckily only one macaque (Ritchie) was not able to adapt to the group. After only a few hours it was Tong the handicapped mature male that was found to be the leader. He rules fair over the group.  

 

Edwin having a close look at the macaques from the pool.

 

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