Macaque Colony Thrives: Japan to Austria Animal Journey

Thirty-eight Japanese macaques were relocated from Osaka, Japan, to Affenberg Landskron in southern Austria in August 1996. This founding group, consisting of 13 mature females, 10 younger females, and 15 immature males, was introduced into a 4-hectare forested enclosure.

The macaque population experienced initial fluctuations but rapidly recovered, achieving a remarkable 25% annual growth rate within its first year. By January 2020, the group had expanded to 160 individuals, with a total of 262 macaques having lived there over the 23-year study period.

Daily monitoring by Affenberg staff provided extensive data on births, deaths, and social interactions. Researchers analyzed these records to understand the population's dynamics, noting 223 births between 1997 and 2019. Females typically had their first offspring around age 4.92, with birth seasons concentrated from March to July.

Reproductive strategies and management interventions influenced population growth. On average, about 51% of reproductively capable females gave birth annually, a rate managed partly through tubal ligations implemented since 2000 to prevent overcrowding.

The demographic shifted over time, with the proportion of macaques younger than four decreasing and those older than 18 increasing significantly by 2020. During the study, 102 deaths were recorded, with infant mortality at a relatively low 8.97%.

Socially, the macaques formed stable maternal lines, and leadership roles among males evolved without aggressive disruptions. Paternity analysis identified fathers for 43 offspring, revealing varied male contributions to the gene pool.