Long-Tailed Macaques

Long-tailed macaques, also known as crab-eating macaques, are native to the forests and rainforests of mainland Southeast Asia and a wide swath of islands stretching from the Philippines to Borneo, Java, and Sumatra, and beyond. They have also been introduced to Hong Kong and elsewhere, where they’re now common. Named for their lengthy tails, which may be longer than their bodies (up to 26 inches), these grey-brown or reddish-brown monkeys are also distinguished by their whiskers and mustaches (males) and beards (females). Although they do indeed eat crabs (and just about anything else), fruits and seeds constitute most of their diets. And because they often live nearby humans (they freely roam Hindu temples, where they’re considered sacred), these aggressive “crop raiders” often give farmers fits. Currently the most popular primate species in biomedical research, long-tailed macaques are widely bred in captivity, and not yet threatened with extinction in the wild.