The Foils of Success: The Rhesus Macaques of Hong Kong (800 Words)

How the most successful primate became one of humankind’s greatest victims.

For the more formal 1,300 word article, click here

No other primate can boast a geographic reach as vast as that of the human. There is, however, one with an extraordinary territory that spans from the hostile mountains of Afghanistan to the lush forests of Thailand. This resourceful Old-World monkey is the Rhesus Macaque.

Rhesus Macaques, alongside Long-tailed Macaques and Marmosets, are the non-human primates most commonly used in scientific study. The 2015 Cruelty Free International report showed that across the globe, 158,780 tests were conducted. This number has been increasing drastically year on year, and according to the US Department of Agriculture, between 2015 and 2018 there was a 22% increase in the US alone. The species are ideal for scientific testing because of their genetic similarity to humans and their track record of adapting well to human environments. In fact, they embrace humanity so well that in parts of Nepal and Sri Lanka they are considered a real pest!

Kowloon Reservoir, Hong Kong

A great insight into the fractured history of Rhesus Macaque and Human can be found in Hong Kong, where there is a population of around 2,000.

The great naturalist Robert Swinhoe observed Rhesus Monkeys in Hong Kong as far back as 1866. Sadly, by the turn of the century, the population had been decimated by hunting and habitat loss. It was then that the ruling British decided to reintroduce them. The story goes that while building the Kowloon Reservoir (Hong Kong’s main water supply), a number of Strychnine Trees were found. Referred to as the “Poison Tree,” their fruit produces high concentrations of the alkaloid Strychnine — once a popular rat poison, and murder weapon in Poirot and Sherlock Holmes novels, as well as in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. To prevent water contamination, Rhesus Monkeys were released, as they enjoy eating the fruit.

Following four years of Japanese occupation in WWII, they had again vanished. However, by the 1990s, they had miraculously regrouped. 600–700 now occupied the area. No one really knows where this new generation came from, but it is possible that they were migrants from nearby mainland China.

Sadly, the Macaques face yet another problem. Since the rise in tourism at Hong Kong’s country parks, people have been feeding them. This popular activity has been cracked down on, but the lingering perception of humans as providers (whether willing or not) of snacks has left a lasting legacy. In response to unnaturally tame Macaques encroaching on the city, local authorities have conducted ruthless sterilisation programmes since the late 1990s. By the end of 2022, 1,937 monkeys had fallen victim.

Guangdong, China

My time with colonies across southern China has given me a deep fondness for the species. They can be vicious to each other — a term commonly used to describe their society is “despotic.” Equally, they can demonstrate pure compassion and silliness. Once, by Kowloon Reservoir in fact, I watched a pair of adolescents bouncing furiously on a branch in an attempt to make a third lose balance. They failed, and a vicious fight ensued. Their screeches attracted comrades from far and wide, and the fight soon became a battle! In a more tender moment, in the broadleaf forests of Guangdong, a mother dropped her infant as she jumped onto a fallen branch. Along came a male. After frustratedly pushing the baby up onto the log, he jumped ahead and laid his arm out like a ramp. The infant gleefully trotted along it onto his back, and they continued into the forest. I haven’t called this male the father because Rhesus Macaques practice “multiple paternity” — more than one male takes care of an infant. This could be for social bonding, to impress females, or because of uncertainty about the father’s identity.

The Rhesus Macaque is in a unique position. It is partly because of their success, but also due to interventions from humanity, that they both thrive and face considerable problems. There was hope in 1978, when India introduced an export ban. This was not especially effective, and in 2022 safeguarding was removed from their Wildlife Protection Act. The 2023 US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report noted a major shortfall in the global supply of the species for medical research. This could mean a dire fate for many monkeys sourced from countries with lacklustre regulations.

The species has proven itself able to adapt to some of the world’s harshest environments. Thriving near human habitats is purely a matter of convenience. If humans — and their destruction — disappeared, the Macaques would easily readjust. Despite what we put them through, I would not be surprised if the highly resourceful monkey outlasts even us. As mankind trudges ever closer to catastrophe, the Rhesus Macaque will merely move further up the mountain, deeper into the forest, where it will regroup, adjust, and flourish.

Guangdong, China