PERILAKU MAKAN DAN WILAYAH AKTIVITAS MONYET EKOR PANJANG (Macaca fascicularis, Raffles 1821) DI KAWASAN TAMAN WISATA AIR WENDIT KOTA MALANG JAWA TIMUR

The long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) is a primate species categorized as
endangered by the IUCN. The population decline of this species is primarily caused by
the loss of natural habitat due to human activities, human-wildlife conflict, and infectious
diseases. Long-tailed macaques play an important ecological role in forest regeneration
by naturally dispersing seeds through the consumption of fruits. These primates live in
groups and exhibit a wide range of social behaviors, including feeding activities. Feeding
behavior can be used to understand habitat use, niche distribution within populations,
and the spatial extent of their movements in search of food. Studying their feeding
behavior is essential to assess both natural and non-natural food sources and to
determine the activity ranges of different groups. This research was conducted in
January–February 2024 at Wendit Water Tourism Park, Malang, East Java. Non-natural
food was recorded based on the type of food taken, while natural food sources were
analyzed through vegetation surveys using 50 m x 50 m grids. Activity ranges were
analyzed using the Minimum Convex Polygon (MCP) method, which defines the home
range based on GPS-recorded encounter points. Feeding behavior data were analyzed
qualitatively by categorizing food types, while vegetation diversity was calculated using
the Shannon-Wiener, Margalef, and Evenness indices. Long-tailed macaques began
feeding activity at 06:00 AM WIB, employing various methods such as picking fruits from
trees, scavenging through trash, swimming for food, and snatching food from other
individuals. The most commonly consumed vegetation included the weeping fig (Ficus
benjamina), Chinese banyan (Ficus retusa), sugar palm (Arenga pinnata), cluster fig
(Ficus racemosa), coconut (Cocos nucifera), candlestick senna (Senna alata), and watery
rose apple (Syzygium aqueum). The activity ranges of long-tailed macaques varied from
0.83 ha to 3.40 ha