Population Abundance of Macaca fascicularis and potential human-wildlife conflicts in Bonerate and Kalao Island

Abstract

Recently, conflicts between human and wildlife have emerged more frequently with high escalation and widely spread due to increasing human population growth, agriculture expansion, land conversion, infrastructure development, and climate change. Raising conflicts were prominent between human and primates. The long-tailed macaque, M. fascicularis is known to face conflicts in many areas in Indonesia. The species is also found on Bonerate Island and Kalao Island nearby one of Wallacea hotspots the island of Sulawesi. This research aims to: (1) monitor the population of M. fascicularis in relation with its influences to potentially creating conflicts and (2) identify conflicts between human and the macaques through perceptions of people inhabited Bonerate and Kalao Islands. Population data was collected by observing the M. fascicularis habitat by using the concentration count method to estimate population density. To identify conflicts, data on public perceptions of M. fascicularis was collected by interviewing local people of the two islands. The research results showed that the number of individuals M. fascicularis found on the observation route was 1,064 individuals in an observation area of 54.46 Ha at Bonerate Island and 618 individuals in an observation area of 66.02 Ha at Kalao Island. The population density value of M. fascicularis is 20 individuals/ha in Bonerate Island and 9 individuals/ha in Kalao Island. There were conflicts emerged between the community and long-tailed monkeys in Bonerate Island and Kalao Island. The community perceived the long-tailed monkeys as pests or enemies that had to be exterminated. There is a need to resolve the conflict between the people of both islands and long-tailed macaques through persuasive efforts to control the long-tailed macaques population.