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Information on the life histories of male macaques after leaving their natal troops is limited. A solitary male Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata), estimated to be 5 years old, appeared in the urban area of Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, northern Japan, where no troops are distributed, in May 2023. Because the animal was habituated to and fed frequently on garden crops, it likely came from the western part of the prefecture, where multiple crop-feeding troops are distributed. The male stayed in the hilly area in the central part of the city until June and then moved north in July. The male moved south to the tip of the Oshika Peninsula and returned to the urban area in August, after which the location of the male was unknown. This study demonstrated that (1) male macaques can move > 40 km from their natal troop, (2) the daily travel distance (average: 0.9 km) of solitary males was similar to that of troop animals, whereas the home-range size of solitary males was much bigger than that for single animals, and (3) the home-range location of solitary males changes quickly. These results implied that solitary males in novel environments prioritize finding new troops to join. Our study sheds light on aspects of male life history after dispersal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little information on maternal behaviour that deprives offspring of food, but some Japanese macaque, Macaca fuscata, mothers have been observed to snatch food from their offspring and eat it. This study investigated maternal food snatching behaviour (MFSB) and its impact on the growth of their offspring in provisioned, free-ranging Japanese macaques. The amount of food a mother snatched from her offspring was estimated to be 51.2% by dry weight compared to the amount of solid food an infant of the same age took in. Body mass growth of affected infants indicated a below-average mass gain. The study suggests that MFSB might be a pathological behaviour and provides the first detailed account of parental exploitation in animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ownership of the journal Primates has been transferred from the Japan Monkey Centre to the Primate Society of Japan, effective January 1st, 2025. The Primate Society of Japan, established in 1985, aims to promote research, education, and mutual understanding in various fields of primatology. The journal Primates, founded in 1957, will continue to be published by Springer Nature, with the editorial system remaining unchanged under the new ownership. The Primate Society of Japan encourages the submission of high-quality research papers from diverse fields of primatology to further promote research on primates. [Extracted from the article]