Ethnoprimatology and Nature-Based Tourism: An Exploration of Macaque Ecology and Behaviour at the Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Center in Sabah, Malaysia
Abstract
A rise in tourism revenue worldwide has included an increase in the number of travellers seeking experiences with the natural world. Commonly referred to as ecotourists, these visitors typically hail from Western countries and favour locations that allow them to connect with nature in ways that they consider sustainable and ethical. However well-meaning, these ecotourist ventures are complex because, while tourism revenue may help protect fragile ecosystems, an increase in tourists can expose local fauna to potentially deadly diseases.
Primates are a salient example of this double-edged sword because they are a popular attraction among travellers, meaning they may benefit from increased habitat protection while being at risk from disease transmission via humans. The aim of this project was to explore impacts of ecotourism on a wild group of hybrid macaques (Macaca fascicularis x M. nemestrina) that live alongside two wildlife rehabilitation centers in Sepilok, Malaysia. I used several methodological approaches to assess the experiences of visitors to the centers, as well as the impact of tourists on macaque aggression and feeding and ranging behavior. I also measured the parasite species richness and prevalence of helminths from faecal samples collected during full-day follows.
Most visitors to Sepilok were motivated by a desire to see orang-utans and were largely unaware of the risks of disease transmission. Visitor-directed aggression from macaques was less frequent and less intense when compared to other tourist sites throughout Asia. The macaques frequently fed on provisions intended for the rehabilitating wildlife and rested more after doing so. The group tended to avoid the tourist area during peak visiting hours but still spent a considerable amount of time in close proximity to visitors. Parasite species richness among the macaques appeared low compared to other sites.
This research highlights some of the complications associated with nature-based tourism that is intended to support conservation. Curtailing undesirable tourist behavior is difficult, but these results demonstrate that successful education and staff supervision can have tangible effects on primate well-being by reducing direct contact with humans while also providing supplemental nutrition that can bolster immune function.