Potential effects of human provisioning on populations and habitats of rhesus macaque in China

Rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) have demonstrated a potent capability of adapting to human-disturbed environment. In China, they have become popular attractions in ecotourism areas and receive substantial food from tourists, resulting in local booming populations. Previous studies have highlighted human-macaque conflicts and yet ignored their impact on local natural ecosystems. Through reviewing previous researches, we summarized the contributing factors to the thriving populations of rhesus macaque and expounded upon the potential impacts of them on other local organisms. Booming populations of rhesus macaque caused by provisioning could present potential risks to local plant and animal community through lesser seed dispersal and greater predation and competition pressures on other sympatric species, ultimately impacting the diversity and stability of local ecosystems. Thus, it is imperative to draft the relevant laws to strictly control human provisioning for wild rhesus macaques and conduct further studies to elucidate their interspecies relationships. And a higher priority should be devoted to monitoring these potentially overabundant populations and formulating optimal management strategies to achieve harmonious coexistence between humans and rhesus macaques.