Towards thirty years of ethological research on the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) colony of the Rome Zoo: a review

In May 1977, a group of 27 Japanese macaques (9 males and 18 females) was captured as a whole near mount Takasaky, Oita prefecture, in Southern Japan, and transferred to the Rome Zoo (Bioparco, since 1998). The group was housed in an enclosure formed by a large (i.e. 700 m2) outdoor area and by 100 m2 indoor quarters with concrete floor and walls (see Figure 1). The enclosure remained basically unchanged over the years until 2003 when the indoor quarters were expanded and redesigned. This work improved the easiness of colony management and of temporary separations of a monkey for health checks. The outdoor enclosure has two ponds with drinking water that also provide a stimulating area for play (particularly in the summer months), given that the Japanese macaques are excellent swimmers. It is also Towards thirty years of ethological research on the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) colony of the Rome Zoo: a review