Population status of the Simeulue monkey (Macaca fascicularis fusca)

The oceanic island of Simeulue, west of Sumatra, is inhabited by a distinct subspecies of the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis fusca) [Miller, 1903]. In January 1982 and March 1984, a survey was conducted to establish its population status. The monkey is morphologically different from other Sunda shelf M. fascicularis populations. In productive habitats, it lives in small groups (10-15 individuals) and reaches a density of more than one monkey/hectare (ha). The island's total population is estimated to be at least 50,000. The authors suggest that the location of a proposed reserve be shifted to include more of the most favorable habitat, i.e., alluvial forest.