04 Jul 2023

Meeting the Macaques of Sulawesi Island

Anticipation was high on board Heritage Adventurer as we sailed into Indonesia for our visit to the Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve at Sulawesi Island.

Tangkoko's nature-filled jungles form one of Indonesia's earliest wildlife reserves where almost 9,000 hectares of rainforest protects some of Sulawesi's most extraordinary, and endangered wildlife including the Crested Black Macaque with its distinctive jet-black fur, and 'Mohican-style' hairdo.

We encountered our first troop of these incredible primates high up in the forest canopy feeding on rainforest fruit not long after entering the jungle. As we observed them, several females climbed down from the trees followed by their young expertly swinging from the vines. Once they reached the ground, they took in our measure then moved off through the forest. Our guides informed us that the Macaques would range throughout the forest and feed until about 1600, then they would all take up a roosting place for the night in the trees behind the black sand beach down at the shore.

After a wildlife-filled afternoon observing many other animals and birds including Forest Kingfishers, Boobook Owls, Sulawesi Bear Cuscus (a type of possum), Sulawesi Lined Gliding Lizard, a Hornbill nest (complete with visiting male Hornbill), and a tiny Tarsier, one of the world's smallest primates said to have inspired Steven Spielberg's movie Gremlins, peering sleepily from its roost in a large strangler fig tree, we found ourselves down at the black sand beach. The local guides had prepared fresh coconuts for us to have a refreshing drink while we waited for our Zodiacs to take us back to Heritage Adventurer.

For many of us, the lasting memory of our afternoon ashore was of a young male Crested Black Macaque perched on a branch in his roosting place for the night above our Zodiac! He was enjoying his own fresh green coconut, procured from our refreshment table and provided a great photographic reminder of a wonderful wildlife-filled afternoon ashore.

Images (c) by: S.Bradley