Monkeys in Mauritius
There are Macaque monkeys in Mauritius. They are often called the crab-eating macaque in south east Asia, and they live well on the island. Bats are the only mammals that are native to Mauritius, rats, cats, monkeys, deer, pigs, mongooses and other mammals have all been introduced to the island. The long-tailed Macaque monkeys in Mauritius were introduced by Portuguese sailors, who bought them here around 400 years ago. The monkeys find the jungle in Mauritius just as good as their native jungles.
If you are hoping to spot monkeys in Mauritius on your holiday, head towards Black River Gorge National Park. This is the largest national park in Mauritius. Famous for its waterfalls and wonderful vistas and is popular with hikers. You might even spot fruit bats, wild boar and deer whilst you are here. Remember though that the animals are wild, so keep your distance, treat with respect and do not try to feed them. The monkeys are social animals and you will often see several of them together.
The body length of an adult, is between 38 to 55cm with comparatively short arms and legs. The males are considerably larger than the females, weighing around 5 to 9kg compared to the 3 to 6kg of females. Their distinctive tail is longer than the body, usually around 40 to 65cm . The tail is used for balance when they jump and they can jump distances up to 5 metres.
Despite their name, crab-eating macaques typically do not consume crabs as their main food source; rather, they are opportunistic omnivore and eat a variety of animals and plants. Although it seems that fruits and seeds make up 60 to 90% of their diet. They do also eat leaves, flowers, roots, and bark.
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