Predation on a Parachute Gecko Gekko sp. by Long-tailed Macaques Macaca fascicularis (Raffles, 1821) in Mt. Apo Natural Park, Philippines

Abstract

Long-tailed macaques are omnivores feeding on plants and animal matter. They are known to feed on meat occasionally, and it represents a very small portion of their diet. This paper reports a predation event by long-tailed macaques on a parachute gecko in Mt. Apo Natural Park, Philippines. Two macaques were involved in the predation: a juvenile macaque responsible for catching the gecko and a subadult female macaque that consumed the prey. There is no published comprehensive list of dietary composition of the species in the Philippines, so this report adds to the existing literature on meat-eating behaviors of long-tailed macaques. The most probable explanation for the observed predation in the area is that meat provides micronutrients for the macaques, although further studies are necessary to confirm this. In this paper, we provide evidence of their unrecorded animal-based food resource that is crucial to understanding their feeding behaviors that can be used for their successful management.