Cyber Flashcards

10 primate species yOU'VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF

#8

what is thIS PRIMATE'S common name?
STUMP-TAILED MACAQUE
also called the bear macaque
What is the scientific name?
Macaca arctoides
​WHAT KIND OF PRIMATE IS THIS?
MONKEY
Where do they live?
Stump-tailed macaques are native to Cambodia, southwest China, northeast India, Laos, Myanmar, northwest Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. In the past, this monkey species was also found in eastern Bangladesh, but it is now believed to be extinct in the region. 
Picture
Asia
Picture
Where stump-tailed macaques live. Blue=native. Red=introduced. Orange=possibly extinct. Map: Chermundy & IUCN/Creative Commons
New world or old world?
OLD WORLD
fascinating facts
  • Native to the tropical and subtropical evergreen forests of Indonesia
  • True to their names, they have short, hairless tails measuring only 1.25-2.7 in (3.2-6.9 cm)
  • Their faces grow redder with age
  • Both males and females exhibit hair-loss like male pattern baldness in humans
What threatens their future?
Stump-tailed macaque populations are projected to decline due to threats such as hunting and habitat loss. As human populations increase, primate habitat is destroyed, fragmented, or degraded so that the land can be utilized by people. For example, in India, land clearing for agriculture reduces stump-tailed macaque habitat and increases the chances of human-macaque conflict. Increasing interactions with humans leads to increased hunting, as the large-bodied macaques are viewed as a significant and easily attainable source of protein.
Certain regional populations of stump-tailed macaques are more threatened than others and are at greater risk of extinction. Stump-tailed macaques living in India are at high risk of local extinction due to hunting and habitat loss, while populations in China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia are declining. Populations in Thailand are more stable.
​WHAT IS their CONSERVATION STATUS?
VULNERABLE
What Does this Conservation Status mean?
Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild
Any species categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable is considered by conservation scientists to be a threatened species
​HERE'S A SNAPSHOT AND THE SPECIES' PROFILE
Click or tap on the graphic to enlarge it
​LEARN MORE ABOUT STUMP-TAILED MACAQUES
Go to the stump-tailed macaque Primate Species Profiles page
are stumP-tailed macaques good pets?
NO
  1. Stump-tailed macaques are wild animals. Like all macaques, they are very intelligent and wily. They can inflict damage and harm just from their curiosity alone.
  2. Their diet and environmental needs cannot be adequately met or replicated in human living conditions. 
  3. To become pets, baby primates are stolen from their mothers. As a result, they do not develop normally emotionally.
  4. When taken from the wild, their mothers are killed to capture the baby.
  5. Primates are never domesticated. They always remain wild. 
  6. Caged primates are very unhappy and frustrated. They are likely to resist confinement. They are quick and cause damaging bites and scratches. Some die as a result of their captivity.
  7. Many locations have strict regulations that prohibit trading in or keeping primates and endangered species are pets.
  8. Stump-tailed macaques belong with other macaques in the southeast Asia. They and their habitats must be protected, not exploited.
#PrimatesAreNotPets
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​Common names are not officially defined. They are based on everyday conversational language and may differ by country, region, profession, community, or other factors. As a result, it is not unusual for a species to have multiple common names.

Scientific names, on the other hand, are standardized and constant. They are Latinized and rule-bound by a formal naming system called binominal nomenclature. Scientific names prevent misidentification. They typically only change if a species is officially redesignated.
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The biological order of Primates is divided into these classifications:​
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​​New World monkeys are native to Central and South America.

Old World monkeys are native to Africa and Asia.
Learn about the differences between New World monkeys and Old World monkeys
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  • ​Extinct (EX) – No known individuals remaining.
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity.
  • Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild.
  • Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild.
  • Near Threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future.
  • Least Concern (LC) – Widespread and abundant.
  • Data Deficient (DD) – Not enough data to assess the species' risk of extinction.
  • Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated.
Learn more about ​Conservation Statuses
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