Characterizing silvered leaf monkey-visitor interactions at Bukit Melawati, Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

Md-Zain, Badrul Munir and Mohd-Daut, Norlinda and Md-Nor, Shukor (2009) Characterizing silvered leaf monkey-visitor interactions at Bukit Melawati, Kuala Selangor, Malaysia. [Journal / Magazine]

PDF JWP 2009-2010 VOL 26_12.pdf Restricted to Repository staff only Download (4MB)

Abstract

Bukit Melawati is a small hill park located in Kuala Selangor, Malaysia. People are attracted for its historical site, beautiful offshore scenery and the presence of free ranging habituated silver leaf monkeys. Social interactions between visitors and habituated silvered leaf monkeys (Trachypithecus cristatus) at Bukit Melawati were investigated using direct field observation of the behavior of silvered leafmonkeys and visitors. Focal sampling was employed as the method of observation. One hundred park visitors were interviewed about their perception towards silvered leaf monkeys. Results indicated that of visitors' interaction with leaf monkeys, feeding langurs (51.19%) was the highest activity followed by approaching (35.90%), observing from a distance (6.02%), playing (3.95%), threatening (2.12%)), keeping a distance (0.66%) and hitting (0.16%). For silvered leaf monkey behavior observation, results showed that approaching visitors was the highest behavioral interaction (37.41%), followed by begging for food (33.91%), staring (18.61%), touching (9.5%), stealing food (0.5%) and refusing food (0.07%). No aggressive contact was initiated by silvered leaf monkeys. The interviews conducted imply that visitors generally have positive perceptions towards silvered leaf monkeys.

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