Polyspecific groups of macaques on the kowloon peninsula, new territories, Hong Kong

Three polyspecific groups of free-ranging macaques were observed in July and August of 1980 and 1981 in the forests of the New Territories of mainland Hong Kong. Two groups were composed of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and long-tailed or crab-eating monkeys (M. fascicularis), and one group was composed of both the former plus Japanese macaques (M. fuscata). All three groups contained hybrids between M. mulatta and M. fascicularis. This combination of species within the same social group is an unusual circumstance in natural habitats, and it offers a unique opportunity for field studies in primate ecology and behavior.