Monkey Puzzles

Next time you are face to face with rhesus macaques, don’t allow their angelic face fool you. Colin Collis, producer of National Geographic Channel’s new show, tells Mathures Paul that these primates, like us, easily adapt to surroundings

After man, rhesus macaques are probably the most adaptable primates on the planet ~ they can thrive virtually anywhere. Take a packet of peanuts to a temple crowded by our intelligent friends and one would understand what film producer and researcher Colin Collis is talking about. In terms of intelligence, rhesus macaques have always been overshadowed by the great apes (gorillas, chimps and orangutans). Although rhesus macaques may not be the smartest of primates, they seem to have done a good job in coping with the loss of their natural habitat and are learning how to thrive alongside humans.
After a long break, National Geographic Channel is presenting a show that’s both educational and entertaining. The M Company takes viewers to the Galta gang’s home in a beautiful Hindu temple on the outskirts of Jaipur. The series highlights these creatures’ phenomenal ability to rule and conquer whatever they set their sight on. The M Company members are dreaded as well as worshipped in India and their wicked acts and intelligent strategies are captured in the new series. Series producer Colin Collis speaks to The Statesman.

A group of rhesus macaques was responsible for the death of SS Bajwa, deputy mayor of New Delhi, in 2007. He tried to fight off the monkeys. What prompts the rhesus macaque to attack human beings?
I am aware of the tragic incident. I’m not sure of the events leading up to the macaques attacking SS Bajwa, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they were initially looking for food. As the worship of Hanuman and the feeding of rhesus macaques (considered his living avatar) are widespread in many states, monkeys have learnt to associate people with food. Often they approach people to investigate what may be on offer. If there’s nothing to be had, in my experience the macaques usually just walk away ~ but should people with or without food show any signs of resistance or confrontation, the macaques often see this as a challenge. Unlike many wild animals, rhesus macaques don’t scare that easily. The initial reason why they approached (that is, food) is seemingly forgotten ~ instead it now becomes about establishing dominance and in macaque society that usually means the use of threats and violence.

Rhesus macaques co-exist with humans and thrive near human settlements. Does this mean they share the same diet?
In urban areas around 90 per cent of their diet comes from human sources, but apart from the odd insect, example ants, beetles, moths etc, rhesus macaques are largely vegetarian. Around temples, visitors feed them bread, bananas, peanuts, seeds, and many other fruit and vegetables. Urban macaques also seem to have a sweet tooth and are very partial to ice cream and fizzy drinks!

Why is there a large population of rhesus macaques in Jaipur?
After man, rhesus macaques are probably the most adaptable primates on the planet ~ they can thrive virtually anywhere. The temple in Jaipur does have a large population and it is possibly connected to the fact that many visitors feed them and the temple’s bathing pools are fed by freshwater springs that never seem to dry up. Rhesus macaques need to drink daily and in many urban areas the water available to monkeys can often be contaminated ~ which can affect the animals’ health and reproduction capability.

How intelligent are rhesus macaques?
In terms of intelligence, rhesus macaques have always been overshadowed by the great apes (gorillas, chimps and orangutans). Although rhesus macaques may not be the smartest primates, they seem to have done a good job in coping with the loss of their natural habitat and learning how to thrive alongside humans.
As well as watching them work out how to turn taps on and off, open cupboard doors and steal food from fridges, one of the most notable traits we noticed on location is their ability to know the exact moment your attention has been diverted. Maintain eye-contact and you have an angelic ‘butter-wouldn’t-melt’ face looking back at you. Glance away and in a split second the drink or sandwich you were holding is wrenched from your hand!

What exactly does The M Company (Monkey Thieves) on National Geographic aims at?
The main objective is to illustrate and deconstruct the unique ways a troop of rhesus macaques adapt to their thoroughly modern environment. As well as revealing the daily dramas affecting their survival, this fun and original series also provides scientific insight into the macaques’ tightly knit and complex society.

Some of the things you learnt about rhesus macaques while working on the series and the difficulties you faced filming them...
Rhesus macaques are excellent climbers so are able to move around the city in a three-dimensional manner. Trying to keep up with a troop moving over rooftops as they leap ten feet gaps with ease proved very demanding for the camera crew. Each time we came across an obstacle we had to return to ground level and walk along the street to the next building hoping the owners would allow us access so we could continue following them.
We also learnt you should never stare at a macaque for too long as they often see this as a signal you want to fight them. Suddenly, you can be faced with a monkey squaring up to you, glaring wide-eyed with an open mouth - macaque body language meaning “back-off or I’ll attack.”
After a while, many of the macaques began to tolerate our crew’s presence and started to appreciate that whenever we showed up they had various opportunities to steal food, drink and numerous other items we brought with us. The macaques quickly worked out that whenever our cameraman was looking through his eyepiece ~ he wasn’t able to keep an eye on the boxes and bags by his feet. They managed to grab lens filters, camera tapes and small tripods ~ and almost got away with a £3,000 camcorder. Fortunately, the sound of the bag dragging along the ground before nearly disappearing over the edge of the rooftop raised an alarm.