Visitors would miss the “Monkey King” at the Formosan rock macaque enclosure, but the Taipei Zoo said on Monday that it was deemed more humane to have him euthanized, after consultation with veterinarians and his handlers.
Over the past month, the Monkey King — or Brother Rong (榮哥), the troop’s alpha male for more than two decades — had developed health problems that left him weakened, unable to eat or take care of himself, and with an obvious decline in activity and bodily function, the zoo staff said.
After consultation rounds, it was decided to put him down on Tuesday last week, the zoo said.
Photo courtesy of the Taipei Zoo
Formosan rock macaques, the only primate species endemic to Taiwan, are social animals that live in matriarchal clans usually dominated by an alpha male who is recognized by the matriarchs and other troop members, zoo officials said.
Rank and social status define the hierarchy of a troop, and the macaques compete to find their place, they said, adding that those with the best physical attributes and health dominate.
The victors make up the troop’s core, entitling them to eat and mate first, but giving them the responsibility of defending the troop, mediating disputes, and raising the young, zoo officials said.
The staff were sad to see Brother Rong’s health decline, but the veterinary team was unable to find any clear signs of illness, they said.
The veterinarians thought the decline resulted from his long tenure as the Monkey King — the stress of leading the troop and imposing his authority every day had left him mentally and physically exhausted, they added.
Due to the social structure, isolating Brother Rong to treat his health issues could have caused more stress, the veterinarians said.
Chen Ching-ming (陳進明), a senior handler of Formosan rock macaques at the zoo, said he had worked with Brother Rong since his birth, and watched him grow and eventually become the alpha male.
“There was trust between us, and we learned to understand each other. During educational activities for the public, he was the best partner for zoo staff members,” he said.
“I really enjoyed working with Brother Rong and much appreciated our long friendship. I am certain he has left many lasting impressions and memories, giving visitors much laughter and happiness over the years,” Chen added.
Due to urban sprawl and more intense development in rural areas, humans are encroaching on the habitat of the Formosan macaque, zoo officials said.
Over the past few years, as more people take up forest and mountain activities, there have been more reports of violent encounters between macaques and humans, they said, urging the public to always maintain a distance of 5m to 10m from macaques.
Do not try to photograph them, touch them or feed them, they said, adding that doing so could make them angry and trigger an attack.
Additional reporting by Jason Pan
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