Abstract
Illegal live trade is one of the greatest threats to endangered Barbary macaques. Since trade focuses on young and Barbary macaques show extensive alloparental care, rehabilitation and release into wild foster groups is a promising strategy to free space in sanctuaries to allow continued confiscations, improve individual welfare, minimize captive care costs, and reinforce wild populations. However, little documentation exists on Barbary macaque releases and the age at which released macaques would be accepted by foster groups is unknown. Here, I report on a wild, nearly 3-year-old Barbary macaque male that was separated from his group after serious injury from a car collision. A neighbouring group found the distressed juvenile 2 days later, approached, groomed, and affiliated with him, and accepted him into the group. He remained with the foster group for 4 months until returning to his natal group. This observation challenges concerns that only infants and young juveniles may be accepted into non-natal groups, suggesting that even older confiscated juveniles could be candidates for release. This also adds to the literature on behavioural responses to distressed and injured individuals, demonstrating the capacity of wild monkeys to exhibit affiliative behaviours even towards unfamiliar distressed conspecifics, providing a rare example of potential consolation of an unknown individual. As so little documentation currently exists on the acceptance of Barbary macaques into wild foster groups, this observation provides valuable information for developing rehabilitation and release strategies for confiscated individuals, which can be critical for continuing to fight illegal trade of this endangered species.
Highlights
The Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) is an endangered primate found only in Morocco and Algeria, with an estimated population of 10,000 left in the wild (Fooden 2007)
The acceptance of a nearly 3-year-old juvenile by a wild, non-natal group has important implications for rehabilitation and release of Barbary macaques rescued from illegal trade, challenging suggestions that only infants and young juveniles may be suitable for release into wild foster groups for fear that older juveniles may not be accepted
As a result of the high numbers of Barbary macaques in captivity that were confiscated or surrendered from trade, rehabilitation and release of suitable macaques is desirable as it offers a potential solution to avoid sanctuaries from reaching capacity and allow continued confiscations, while reducing long-term care costs associated with confiscations, improving welfare of rescued macaques, and reinforcing wild populations
Summary
The Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) is an endangered primate found only in Morocco and Algeria, with an estimated population of 10,000 left in the wild (Fooden 2007). Infant handling is highly seasonal in Barbary macaques, with greatest interest towards infants under 6 months old and declining with age (Small 1990; Paul and Kuester 1996; Waters et al 2016) This caused concerns that perhaps only very young macaques should be considered potential candidates for release into foster groups, for fear that older juveniles may not be accepted [personal communication with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Le. Haut Commissariat aux Eaux et Forêts et à la Lutte Contre la Désertification (HCEFLCD)]. Pipo remained with the foster group even after he appeared fully healed from the car accident He seemed to be well socially integrated in the foster group and was often seen grooming, playing and socializing with others, with the adult male that had first groomed him, a subadult male, an adult female, and other juveniles. Pipo is well and remains with his natal group at the time of writing (April 2019)
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