Multidimensional relationships between long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) and domesticated animals in Bali, Indonesia

Long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) show remarkable adaptability in their patterns of habitat-use. Some populations have adapted to ecological niches with a high magnitude of anthropogenic impact. Along with adjusting to the presence of humans, long-tailed macaques must also share space with a wide range of other species which humans have domesticated. These domesticates vary in their form and function in anthropogenic habitats, and therefore may interface with long-tailed macaques across a range of ecological and social contexts. In this paper we present observations of long-tailed macaques at the Padangtegal and Uluwatu temples in Bali, Indonesia interacting with domestic dogs, cats, and cattle. While anecdotal, these observations reveal a spectrum of interactions between long-tailed macaques and these domesticates, beyond simply bidirectional aggression. These observations may indicate that long-tailed macaques are able to read and respond to human domesticates within their shared physical and social environments, as they have been demonstrated to do with humans. Such a capacity would represent another dimension of the long-tailed macaque's adaptability.