Reports

HOPE Report No.18, 29th, October 2004.

Program No.18 (facilitation of exchange between young scientists)

Observation of wild Barbary macaques and provisioned Japanese monkeys in Rome Zoo, and attendance at the conference of IPS.

By Shuhei Hayaishi (Kyoto University)

Place of visit: Moyen Atlas in Morocco, Rome and Torino, Italy.

Period of visit: 2rd-31th August 2004.

I observed the wild Barbary Macaques at Moyen Atlas in Morocco from 3rd to 16th Aug. This area is the largest habitat of this species. Due to the heavy logging and the sheep and goat farming, the distribution of the mixed forest of conifer and oak was in patches very much. The most observed forages are barks of conifer and unripe acorns in this period. When I observed monkey groups encountering dogs sometimes, I expected to listen the voice like "kuan" or "kwan" of Japanese monkeys. However, monkeys kept silent beside dogs, and dogs did not chase or bark to monkeys, except sheep dogs, which chased monkeys. I wonder why the relationship between the monkey and dogs were so gentle. I am concerned with the past distributions of the Barbary monkeys and genus Canis groups.

Barbary macaque, Adult male

Barbary macaque, Adult male, Bark Stripping

There is an enclosure of Japanese monkey at Bioparco (Rome Zoo) in Rome. Monkeys have been lived there since 1977, when they were transferred from Takasakiyama, Japan. Now about 40 animals are there, and people who came to the Zoo were very pleased with them. I observed them and supposed that they were still the very Japanese monkeys.

an enclosure of Japanese macaque in Bioparco

a juvenile monkey searching a hidden food

The 10th Congress of International Primatological Society was held in Torino from 22nd to 28th Aug. There were many presentations - 33 symposiums, 215 oral presentations and 125 poster presentations. There were many presentations on great apes and baboons and fewer presentations on macaques than my expectation. I met some Macaca researchers and it was exciting for me to contact with Dr. G. Schino who is a researcher of Japanese monkeys in Rome Zoo, and Dr. N. Menard who is a researcher of Barbary monkeys.

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