Within the borders of the Republic of China it is possible to see 8.3% of the total species of flora and fauna in the world. Many of these are unique to the island and it's environs. In the coming months we will be introducing some of the more rare and fascinating animals and plants that are native to Taiwan. This month we are featuring the irrepressible Formosan Rock-Monkey.

Rock monkey (macaques) is a generic term for "old world" (Asia/Africa) monkeys as opposed to the "new world" (Americas) monkeys. Old world monkeys are distinguished from their new world half-brothers by the strength and dexterity in their tails. New world monkeys have greater strength and more applications (such as hanging from trees) for their tails that old world monkeys have lost to evolution. The rock monkey of Taiwan has the distinction of being the only other primate on the island besides man. Taiwan is, in fact, their only home in the world. But, they have cousins in Japan, India and Mainland China. The Formosan Rock Monkey's tail is longer than its Asian cousins' but is used only for balance and not climbing.

It is thought that the Formosan Rock Monkey has its roots in the China Mainland. 40,000 years ago when Taiwan and the Mainland were part of the same land mass, the climate changed and the connecting glacier melted away leaving Taiwan and the Formosan Rock Monkey to develop separately and differently from the Mainland. Today, the monkey found on Taiwan is a separate species from its ancestors on the Mainland.

The rock-monkeys' instinct to group together in clans is very strong. The pecking order is established by direct combat between the mature males in the clan. The strongest is crowned King and has absolute authority over the others. Usually 8-12 monkeys will band together to form a clan. The leader has domain over every female in the clan, leaving the other males to an uncertain and unreliable love life. The females are solely responsible for the care of the young.

Monkeys have long been considered the closest link in the evolutionary line next to man. It is estimated that the rock-monkey has the intelligence equivalent to a 3 or 4 year old child. But, unfortunately, man has not been very generous to his evolutionary sibling. In the 50's and 60's rock-monkeys were found everywhere in Taiwan romping and playing about. They were so numerous that upon seeing a man they weren't a bit afraid. As more parks and high-rise buildings started to appear, the monkeys started a retreat into the mountains, from which they would never return. Man's hunger for land was not the only danger facing the playful rock-monkey. In 1972 the government finally passed legislation prohibiting the killing and exporting of the rock-monkey.

Today it isn't even clear how many rock monkeys have survived. We hope that our later generations will care more for our earliest of evolutionary siblings than we have until now.

(Kirby Chien)

[Picture Caption]

A Formosan rock-monkey at the Taipei city zoo, appearing like a king surveying his subjects.

"Jung Jung", a one-year old rock-monkey, acting irresistible.

"Jung Jung", a one-year old rock-monkey, acting irresistible.