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The Taiwan macaque is a monkey found naturally only in Taiwan, where troops roam mountain forests, bamboo thickets, and grasslands. It has a much longer tail than its close relative, the Japanese macaque, and does not live in the wild in the United States. It is also called the Formosan rock macaque.

Appearance

Appearance
Body about 14–22 in (36–55 cm) long, with a moderately long tail of 10–18 in (26–45 cm). Adults weigh about 11–26 lb (5–12 kg), and males are bigger than females. The fur is dark gray to brown, and the limbs look darker.
Voice
Screams when outsiders approach the troop, and troop members answer with a "kyaw-kyaw" call.

Look-alikes

Rhesus macaqueMacaca mulatta

The rhesus macaque's tail is only about 8–9 in (21–23 cm), less than half its body length, and its bare face is pinkish. The Taiwan macaque's tail is about 70% of its body length.

Why they get mixed upBoth are brown-to-gray macaques, and rhesus macaques are the macaque most Americans see, including the introduced population in Florida.

Japanese macaqueMacaca fuscata

The Japanese macaque has a short, stubby tail; the Taiwan macaque's tail is about 70% of its body length and stays thick to the tip.

Why they get mixed upThey are close relatives with similar build and fur color, and introduced Taiwan macaques in Japan have interbred with it.

Where it lives

Typical habitats
  • Mountain forests
  • Bamboo thickets
  • Grasslands
Range
Found naturally only in Taiwan. It once lived near the coast, but people have pushed it mostly into the inland hills and mountains. Released or escaped groups have also become established in Japan.
Preferred conditions
Lives from about 330 ft (100 m) up to about 11,800 ft (3,600 m). It rests in forest and often forages out in grassy areas.

Behavior

Diet
Mostly fruit, tender leaves, buds, and seeds, plus insects, snails, and bird eggs. It also raids crops such as sweet potatoes and peanuts.
Activity
Active by day, both in trees and on the ground. Like other macaques, it stuffs food into its and eats it later somewhere safer.
Social life
Lives in troops with several males and females. Females stay in the troop they were born in, while males leave before adulthood.

Life cycle

Breeding season
In Taiwan, mating runs from about November to January, and babies are born from April to June.
Gestation
About 165 days
Litter size
1 baby
Time to maturity
Babies nurse for about a year and are usually independent by about 2 years old.

Conservation

IUCN Red List
LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction
Status
Taiwan moved it from its protected species list to general wildlife in January 2019 after experts judged the population stable. In Japan it is a banned invasive species because it hybridizes with the native Japanese macaque.

Culture and stories

Culture and stories
  • The species name cyclopis refers to the one-eyed giants of Greek myth, the Cyclopes.
  • "Rock" in its name comes from early reports that it lived in caves and under rock overhangs.

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Taiwan Macaque (Macaca cyclopis) — identification, habitat & look-alikes | Moeyo