台南縣台灣獼猴之族群現況與危害農作物情形

Population Status of and Crop-raiding by Taiwanese Macaques, Macaca cyclopis, in Tainan County, Taiwan

台灣獼猴在台灣受到「野生動物保育法」所保護，但獼猴危害農作物卻使這種特有靈長類的保育工作遭遇質疑與阻礙。為協助地方主管機關發展適當的管理策略以降低人猴間的衝突，我們於2007－2008年間調查台南縣台灣獼猴的族群分布、密度與危害農作的概況。先進行全縣山區的台灣獼猴普查，搜尋各種台灣獼猴存在的跡象證據，並設立17條固定調查樣線（總長100.5 km），用以估算台灣獼猴的猴群密度。遇到農民時訪問發生台灣獼猴危害的地點、受害農作物種類及受害農地的所有權歸屬。結果發現台灣獼猴分布於台南縣境內東部山區10個鄉鎮的24個村里，受獼猴危害的地區有7鄉鎮13村里。估算台灣獼猴分布的闊葉林區中平均密度為0.637群/km^2（95％信賴區間：0.524－－0.751群/km^2），比台灣的平均值（0.722群/km^2）稍低。現有證據並不支持獼猴的密度與危害程度有關。估算全縣台灣獼猴有100群（95％信賴區間：82－118群），不到全台灣總猴群數的1％。芒果是被最多的受訪農民（76％）陳述受害的農作物種類。將近三分之二的受訪農民（64％）陳述受害農地屬於承租的國有林地，而國有林地並非為農作物生產而放租。進行台灣獼猴危害農作物的管理時，地區族群是否有滅絕的危機及受害農地的土地利用是否合法皆是需要慎重考量的面向。

The Taiwanese macaque (Macaca cyclopis) is protected by Wildlife Conservation Act in Taiwan, but crop-raiding by the species hinders conservation of the endemic primate. To assist local governments in developing management strategy to reduce this human-monkey conflict, we surveyed the population distribution and density of and crop-raiding by monkeys in Tainan County in southern Taiwan in 2007 and 2008. We surveyed mountainous areas in the whole county for any evidence of occurrence of the monkey and crop damage. Seventeen line-transects with a total length of 100.5 km were established to estimate density of monkey troops. We interviewed farmers encountered in order to survey the location, crop type, and ownership of the raided farmlands. We found that the Taiwanese macaques were distributed in 24 mountainous villages of ten townships. Monkeys damaged crops in 13 villages of seven townships. Density of monkey troops in the county's broadleaf forest was 0.637 troops/km^2 (95% confidence interval: 0.524 - 0.751 troops/km^2), a little lower than average in Taiwan (0.722 troops/km^2). No evidence supported an association between density of Taiwanese macaques and the degree of crop damage. Population size was estimated to be 100 troops (95% confidence interval: 82 - 118 troops) all over the county, accounting less than 1% of the whole Taiwanese macaque population. Mango was the most frequently damaged crop as reported by 76% interviewed farmers. Ownerships of 64% raided farmland were national forest, which are not supposed to be used for crop production. It is important to consider the probable extinction of local populations and the legality of producing crops in raided farmlands while managing crop-raiding by monkeys in Tainan County.