Sussex zoo welcomes 'critically endangered' animal to breeding programme

A Sulawesi crested black macaque, called Ahsoka, has joined Drusillas Zoo in Alfriston as part of an international breeding programme for the species.

The zoo says welcoming another macaque to the family is ‘particularly special’ because the species is classified as being under the highest level of threat to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Seven-year-old Ahsoka joins the zoo’s existing pair, male Moteck and female Lintang.

Male macaques are happiest when they have more than one female in their 'harem', so the hope is that Ahsoka’s presence will give Moteck a boost in confidence and encourage his mating instincts with breeding female Lintang.

Zoo animal manager, Mark Kenward, said: “Ahsoka is a very sweet, gentle girl and we’re starting to see her settle in and find her place within the group. Macaque introductions can be tricky as the species adheres to very strict hierarchal rules, so our team have been very closely monitoring the behaviour of all three, taking turns on ‘macaque watch’ and reporting back on the body language we’re observing.”

“The dominant male in any macaque group, in our case Moteck, needs to very quickly assert his authority over new females so there’s often a bit of a ‘testing’ phase where he may seem like he’s being a little rough, but this is totally normal behaviour to help him establish whether the new arrival will slot into place.

"After this initial testing we have seen lots of lip smacking and grunting– good signs of friendly communication – and Lintang and Ahsoka have been mutually grooming each other which is perfect. The group now seems very calm around each other and we’re looking forward to watching the bonds form between them.”

The introduction will continue to be carefully monitored for some time by the Zoo’s expert team, so they were able to observe any potential warning signs of upset in the sensitive hierarchy.

The Sulawesi black crested macaque is categorised as critically endangered in the wild, and is one of over 20 different endangered and rare species living at the East Sussex Zoo.

Sadly, the macaque population has declined by 80 per cent over the last 40 years.

The zoo said the principal threat to their survival is over-hunting for meat. In Indonesia the macaque is considered a delicacy, and is often served for special occasions.

Deforestation is another major threat to the species, with large areas of their habitat now being cleared for coconut plantations, garden plots and roads.

As well as hopes for breeding success, Ahsoka’s arrival will allow both visitors and keepers at Drusillas to gain more of an insight into how macaques live in groups, raising awareness of this wonderful species, so that more visitors will engage with them and understand their plight and the importance of conservation.

Located just off the A27 in Alfriston, Drusillas Park is open daily from 10am.

For more information, call: 01323 874100 or visit: www.drusillas.co.uk.