Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Primates
- Family
- Cercopithecidae
- Genus
- Macaca
Habitat
They primarily inhabit tropical rainforests, secondary forests, and plantations in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. These macaques prefer lowland and hill areas up to 2,000 meters elevation, where they can find dense vegetation for cover and food sources.
Diet
Southern pig-tailed macaques are omnivorous, feeding on fruits, seeds, leaves, insects, and occasionally small vertebrates like lizards or bird eggs. They forage in groups during the day, often in trees or on the ground, and use their cheek pouches to carry food for later consumption.
Behavior
They live in social troops of 5 to 40 individuals, typically with a dominant male and matriarchal structure, engaging in grooming and vocal communications. Southern pig-tailed macaques are diurnal and arboreal but also spend time on the ground foraging, showing territorial behavior by defending food sources and using alarm calls to warn of threats.
Conservation Status
The IUCN status is Vulnerable, with populations declining due to habitat loss from deforestation and hunting for the pet trade. Major threats include agricultural expansion and fragmentation of forest habitats.