M: Monkeys, Monkeys in Malaysia

Summary

The article discusses various species of monkeys found in Malaysia, particularly focusing on macaques and dusky leaf monkeys, their habitats, diets, and conservation status, illustrated with personal photographs and observations.

Abstract

The article, framed around an alphabet photo challenge, begins with a personal wall hanging from Nepal depicting a monkey for the letter 'M'. It then transitions to the author's encounters with macaques in the Malaysian highlands, detailing their presence in rainforests and plantations, and their omnivorous diet which includes fruits, seeds, and surprisingly, rats. The piece highlights the potential of macaques in controlling rat populations in oil palm plantations, referencing a CNN article. The narrative shifts to the dusky leaf monkey, observed in Langkawi, Malaysia, noting their leaf and fruit diet and their range across Thailand and Singapore. A poignant painting of a dusky leaf monkey and its young on a rock in Penang underscores the species' endangered status, attributed to habitat loss and poaching, and their listing on the IUCN Red List. The article concludes with a photograph of mountains in Malaysia, expressing anticipation for future discoveries on the author's next visit.

Opinions

The author finds the arrogant expression of a macaque walking alongside a highway noteworthy and indicative of their adaptability to human environments.
Macaques are portrayed as potentially beneficial in managing rat populations in oil palm plantations, suggesting a symbiotic relationship with human agricultural activities.
The dusky leaf monkey's natural orange color of the young is highlighted, and the choice to depict them in black and white in a painting is seen as a poignant statement on their declining numbers and endangered status.
The author expresses a personal connection to Malaysia, looking forward to future travels and the possibility of new wildlife encounters.
There is an acknowledgment of the ongoing impact of human activities on the natural habitats of these monkeys, contributing to their vulnerable conservation status.

A-Z Alphabet Photo Challenge: the Letter M

Photo by Author

The photo story challenge — My alphabet wall hanging from Nepal has a monkey for the letter M, so that’s a good place to start this story.

Macaque in Malaysian highlands (Photo by Rhonda Carrier)

This arrogant-looking macaque was walking alongside the highway as we drove down from Fraser’s Hill highlands in Malaysia. We hadn’t seen them on any of our hikes but we had heard them in the rainforest in the distance.

They are found in the rainforests up to 2000 m but also on the plantations in the area. They are omnivores mainly feeding on fruits, seeds, berries, and invertebrates but apparently, they sometimes eat rats too. They could be found to be useful in the oil palm plantations to help control the rat populations. (Rat-eating macaques) (Southern pig-tailed Macaque)

Dusky Leaf Monkey (Photo by Rhonda Carrier)

We saw this dusky leaf monkey in a group of monkeys being fed by a woman near the Oriental Village on the island of Langkawi in Malaysia. Their diet is leaves and fruit. They are found in Thailand, Malaysia, and occasionally in Singapore.

Dusky Leaf Mama and Youngster (Photo by Rhonda Carrier)

The photo above is of a painting on a rock along the Moongate hike in Penang, Malaysia. It depicts a dusky leaf monkey with its offspring. The young of the dusky leaf monkey is naturally orange in color. Painting them in black and white and highlighting their sad-looking eyes seems to emphasize that their numbers are declining and they are considered to be endangered. They are on the IUCN Red List of endangered animals due to changes to their natural habitats and to predation and poaching. (Dusky Leaf Monkey)

Mountains in Malaysia (Photo by Rhonda Carrier)

The photo above is of one of the many flights last summer. This one is leaving the island of Langkawi to fly back to Penang. We look forward to being back in Malaysia again in a few months. Who knows what we will see on our next journey back there?

In the photo story challenge, I’ve skipped over I, J, K, and L for now. I have the photos for the Letter I already planned and will publish it soon, so check in again later.