Rhesus Macaques in Zoos

Here in Australia four facilities have rhesus macaques:

-Banana Cabana Primate Sanctuary
-Crocodylus Park
-Darling Downs Zoo
-Mansfield Zoo
 
Millions of rhesus macaques were exported from India to the west last century, primarily for research but also for pets etc. As they were so common they were in many zoos and were the mainstay of many zoos "monkey islands". In recent decades many zoos have moved to more interesting or endangered macaque species or because of OH&S concerns away from macaques altogether.
 
If you are really a serious rhesus macaque fan then forget about seeing them in zoos in North America. Your answer is Cayo Santiago, P.R., also known as Isla de los Monos, where the University of Puerto Rico has established an important colony of free ranging rhesus monkeys that as been there since 1940. Important studies have been carried out there. There is a Wikipedia article on Cayo Santiago. You cannot enter Cayo Santiago on foot, rather you can take a kayak to see the monkeys up close. look it up on the web,
 
carlos55 said:
If you are really a serious rhesus macaque fan then forget about seeing them in zoos in North America. Your answer is Cayo Santiago, P.R., also known as Isla de los Monos, where the University of Puerto Rico has established an important colony of free ranging rhesus monkeys that as been there since 1940. Important studies have been carried out there. There is a Wikipedia article on Cayo Santiago. You cannot enter Cayo Santiago on foot, rather you can take a kayak to see the monkeys up close. look it up on the web,
Click to expand...

Yes, I've hard of the place. I wasn't aware the public was allowed anywhere near it, I thought you had to be affiliated with a research project to go there.

Frankly I think its a shame that we have turned our backs on having them in Zoos. Even thought they aren't the most exotic of species I still think there might be some value to seeing an a species that has had such an influence on scientific research.
 
It's been hard to tell the way the AZA is going with macaques... At first, they were the bread and butter of many zoos. Then, we began to focus on endangered species. After the research that determined they can carry herpes (or something similar), we started to phase them all out. Then we began importing Japanese macaques, and it's possible we will be getting lion tailed macaques again from Europe.

As far as rhesus macaques, I believe Cleveland has or recently had them.
 
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