Editing Macaque (section)

==Ecology and behavior==
===Diet===
Macaques are mainly [[Frugivore|frugivorous]], although some species have been observed feeding on insects. In natural habitats, they have been observed to consume certain parts of over one hundred species of plants including the buds, fruit, young leaves, bark, roots, and flowers. When macaques [[synanthrope|live amongst people]], they raid agricultural [[crop]]s such as wheat, rice, or [[sugarcane]]; and garden crops like tomatoes, bananas, melons, mangos, or [[papaya]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/long-tailed_macaque/cons |title=Primate Factsheets: Long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) Conservation |website=pin.primate.wisc.edu |language=en |access-date=2018-07-02}}</ref> In human settings, they also [[begging in animals|rely heavily]] on direct handouts from people. This includes peanuts, rice, [[legume]]s, or even prepared food.

===Group structure===
Macaques live in established social groups that can range from a few individuals to several hundred, as they are social animals. A typical social group possess between 20 and 50 individuals of all ages and of both sexes. The typical composition consists of 15% adult males, 35% adult females, 20% infants, and 30% juveniles, though there exists variation in structure and size of groups across populations.{{citation needed|date=August 2022|reason=old link =http://science.jrank.org/pages/4035/macaques.html}}

[[File:Macaque monkey's premotor areas.jpg|thumb|right|240px|The [[premotor cortex]] of macaques is widely studied.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Boussaoud |first1=D. |last2=Tanné-Gariépy |first2=J. |last3=Wannier |first3=T. |last4=Rouiller |first4=E. M. |title=Callosal connections of dorsal versus ventral premotor areas in the macaque monkey: A multiple retrograde tracing study |journal=BMC Neuroscience |volume=6 |page=67 |doi=10.1186/1471-2202-6-67 |year=2005 |pmid=16309550 |pmc=1314896 |doi-access=free }}</ref>]]

Macaques have a very intricate social structure and hierarchy, with different classifications of despotism depending on species.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Matsumura |first=S |date=1999 |title=The evolution of "egalitarian" and "despotic" social systems among macaques |journal=Primates |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=23–31 |doi=10.1007/BF02557699 |pmid=23179529 |s2cid=23652944 |via=SpringerLink Journals}}</ref> If a macaque of a lower level in the social chain has eaten berries and none are left for a higher-ranking macaque, then the one higher in status can, within this social organization, remove the berries from the other monkey's mouth.<ref>{{cite video |title=The Life of Mammals |host=[[David Attenborough]] |year=2003 |publisher=[[BBC Video]]}}</ref>

===Reproduction and mortality===
The reproductive potential of each species differs. Populations of the rhesus macaque can grow at rates of 10% to 15% per year if the environmental conditions are favorable. However, some forest-dwelling species are [[endangered species|endangered]] with much lower reproductive rates.{{citation needed|date=August 2022|reason=old link =http://science.jrank.org/pages/4035/macaques.html}} After one year of age, macaques move from being dependent on their mother during infancy, to the juvenile stage, where they begin to associate more with other juveniles through rough tumble and playing activities. They sexually mature between three and five years of age. Females will usually stay with the social group in which they were born; however, young adult males tend to disperse and attempt to enter other social groups. Not all males succeed in joining other groups and may become solitary, attempting to join other social groups for many years.{{citation needed|date=August 2022|reason=old link =http://science.jrank.org/pages/4035/macaques.html}} Macaques have a typical lifespan of 20 to 30 years.

===As invasive species===
[[File:Monkey Kai Bae.jpg|thumb|''M. fascicularis'' on a [[Scooter (motorcycle)|scooter]] at [[Ko Chang]], Thailand]]

Certain species under the genus ''Macaca'' have become [[invasive species|invasive]] in certain parts of the world, while others that survive in forest habitats remain [[threatened species|threatened]]. The [[crab-eating macaque|long-tailed macaque]] (''M. fascicularis'') is listed as a threat and invasive alien species in [[Mauritius]], along with the [[rhesus macaque]]s (''M. mulatta'') in Florida.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |url=http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/wecdept/2016/12/20/mapping-macaques-studying-floridas-non-native-primates/ |title=Mapping Macaques: Studying Florida's Non-Native Primates |publisher=UF/IFAS Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Department |date=2016-12-20 |access-date=2018-07-02 |language=en-US}}</ref> Despite this, the former is listed as endangered.

The long-tailed macaque causes severe damage to parts of its range where it has been [[introduced species|introduced]] because the populations grow unchecked due to a lack of predators.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/factsheets/entry/long-tailed_macaque/cons |title=Primate Factsheets: Long-tailed macaque (''Macaca fascicularis'') Conservation |website=pin.primate.wisc.edu |language=en |access-date=2018-07-02}}</ref> On the island of Mauritius, they have created serious conservation concerns for other [[endemism|endemic species]]. They consume seeds of native plants and aid in the spread of exotic weeds throughout the forests. This changes the composition of the habitats and allows them to be rapidly overrun by invasive plants.

Long-tailed macaques are also responsible for the near extinction of several bird species on Mauritius by destroying the nests of the birds as they move through their native ranges and eat the eggs of [[critically endangered]] species, such as the [[pink pigeon]] and Mauritian green parrot.<ref name="www.upane.it">{{cite web |url=http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=139 |title=GISD |publisher=Upane |website=iucngisd.org |access-date=2018-07-02}}</ref> They can be serious agricultural pests because they raid crops and gardens and humans often shoot the monkeys which can eliminate entire local populations.

In Florida, a group of rhesus macaques inhabit [[Silver Springs State Park]]. Humans often feed them, which may alter their movement and keep them close to the river on weekends where high human traffic is present.<ref name=":2" /> The monkeys can become aggressive toward humans (largely due to human ignorance of macaque behavior), and also carry potentially fatal human diseases, including the [[herpes B virus]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ostrowski |first=Stephanie |date=March 1998 |title=B-virus from Pet Macaque Monkeys: An Emerging Threat in the United States? |journal=Emerging Infectious Diseases |language=en-us |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=117–21 |doi=10.3201/eid0401.980117 |pmid=9452406 |pmc=2627675 |issn=1080-6040}}</ref>