Celebes Crested Macaques The Most Unique Ape In The World – Black Sulawesi macaques are primates who threatened extinct. Black Sulawesi macaques which in Latin is called Macaca nigra is a species endemic to North Sulawesi. In the western world, they called as The Celebes crested macaque and also known as the crested black macaque, Sulawesi crested macaque, or the black ape, is an Old World monkey that lives in the Tangkoko reserve, northeast of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi (Celebes), as well as on smaller neighboring islands.
The macaques is having black hair, it also has a unique characteristic to the crest on its head. The local people called the ape as “Yaki” and its increasingly rare and endangered. Even Redlist classified by the IUCN conservation status Critically Endangered (Crisis).
In addition, Black Sulawesi macaque monkeys often called crested. And by the local community was called with Yaki, Bolai, Dihe. In English this rare primate known by several names including Celebes Crested Macaque, Black Celebes ape, Celebes Black Macaque, Celebes Crested Macaque, Celebes Macaque, Black Crested Macaque, Macaque Gorontalo, Sulawesi Macaque. In Latin (scientific) Sulawesi Black Monkey named Macaca nigra synonymous with Macaca lembicus (Miller, 1931) Macaca malayanus (Desmoulins, 1824).
The Black Sulawesi macaques (Macaca nigra) has the characteristics of the entire body is covered with black fur except on back and groin area rather brightly colored. As well as the area surrounding the reddish rump.
At the head of the Sulawesi Black Ape (Yaki) have crested. His face was hairless and has a slightly protruding snout. Sulawesi Black Ape body length adult ranges from 45 to 57 cm, weighs about 11-15 kg.
Black Sulawesi macaques live in groups consisting Large group between 5-10 tail. Large group usually consists of several males with a lot of adult females with a ratio of 3 males versus females.
Sulawesi Black Ape dissemination usually focused on primary forest on the location of which is still a lot of fruit tree species commonly eaten by these animals. Home range (home range) always went in one direction and going back towards the original with a cruising range between 0.8-1 km.
The rare animals can be found in North Sulawesi in Batuputih Nature Park, Nature Reserve of Mount Nini Batuangus, Duasudara Mountain Nature Reserve, Nature Reserve of Mount Sill, Mount Lokon and Tangale. As well as several islands in the island Manadotua Island and Talise Island, Lembeh Island (likely to have been extinct), including Bacan Island (Maluku).
Black Sulawesi macaques is a protected species in Indonesia based on Republic Act 5 of 1990 and Government Regulation No.7 of 1999 Population based 1998 data estimated to be less than 100,000. This number is believed to be the decline. The decline is largely caused by poaching. Look Celebes Crested Macaques taking selfie below:
Taking Selfie
Because the population is decreasing, IUCN Redlist Sulawesi Black Ape enter the conservation status of Critically Endangered list (critical) since 2008 and CITES also incorporate these endemic species as Appendix II.
According to Wikipedia, Because it devastates crops and fields, the Celebes crested macaque is hunted as a pest. It is also hunted to provide bushmeat. Clearing the rain forests further threatens its survival. Its situation on the small neighbouring islands of Sulawesi (such as Bacan) is somewhat better, since these have a low human population. The total population of the macaque on Sulawesi is estimated at 4,000-6,000, while a booming population of up to 100,000 monkeys is found on Bacan.
A recent series of survey trips to Sulawesi and the Minehasa forest area was made in 2004-2009 by Vicki Melfi, who is EEP studbook holder for these macaques, based at Paignton Zoo / the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust. She has been monitoring population density, which has declined from over 300 individuals per square kilometre in 1980 to 20 to 60 individuals today. A conservation programme called Selamatkan Yaki—or “Save the Yaki”, as this macaque is known in the local language—was launched with local partners and other conservation groups from Thailand, Germany and the Wildlife Conservation Society (based in the United States). Both Newquay Zoo and Paignton Zoo are among a number of mostly European zoos which hold ex-situ breeding populations of this animal.
Since 2006, the Macaca Nigra Project has been studying the biology and promoting the conservation of this species. The project, a collaboration between the German Primate Center and the Bogor Agricultural Institute, is run by Antje Engelhardt and located in the Tangkoko reserve, home of the biggest crested macaque population remaining in the species’ original distribution range.
I have not had the opportunity to see this crested species endemic in its natural habitat. Hopefully my desire to see the unique Yaki, rare Sulawesi Black Ape is not preceded by extinction.
Scientific classification. Kingdom: Animalia; Phylum: Chordata; Class: Mammalia; Order: Primates; Family: Cercopithecidae; Genus: Macaca; Species: Macaca nigra. Binomial name Macaca nigra.