u/Noa_541

So, after my previous post and some discussions online, I finally decided to read all of Matsuura's notes regarding macaques. I found them fascinating, and they also led me to search through the zoo's official Twitter account for additional information.

One of the main reasons I started looking into this (besides wanting to learn more about macaques) is that I kept seeing comments stating that there were "6-7 known cases of hand reared macaques" and that "only Otome was a success." Another commenter mentioned that it was the former keeper who considered the other cases unsuccessful. That made me curious enough to dig deeper.

This is based on my own interpretation of the available notes and posts. Since I had to translate everything myself, I may be missing context or misunderstanding certain details.

From Matsuura's notes and the Zoo's website and Twitter account, I found the following cases:

Gori – The first hand-reared monkey. Based on the notes, he was described as troublesome at times but was ultimately able to integrate into the troop. Matsuura wrote: "Gori successfully returned to the troop and began living on Monkey Mountain. However, as he grew larger, he began challenging the keepers." He later died from a heart condition.

Otome – The most well-known case. Both Matsuura's notes and the zoo's posts contain records of her development. She successfully integrated, had offspring, and eventually became a high-ranking female. The zoo's website states: "In early November (2009), Otome began living with the troop full-time." She was a little over one year old at the time. She is still living on Monkey Mountain.

Ryu – From birth, he seemed different from Otome. The zoo's website states: "Unlike Otome, who had cried loudly when abandoned, this infant lay quietly." Otome later helped him reintegrate after she destroyed his stuffed toy. The zoo also noted: "Unlike Otome, he never carried a stuffed toy around." I am unsure what significance, if any, this had for his development. He died at the age of six during a troop conflict. Link to comment about Ryu.

Matsuura also clarified in a comment that Ryu had integrated into the troop and that the fight which led to his death was not a result of him being hand-raised

Ryu grooming another monkey in 2015

Nanako – From what I understood, attempts were made to reintegrate her over a period of about three years, but they were ultimately unsuccessful. Early posts show her interacting with another monkey through cage bars and foraging on the ground, while later posts mention that she was still staying close to the keepers. A zoo note later states that she lived separately due to fighting.

Something to note about Nanako and Ryu is that during Nanako's integration, when other monkeys bothered her, it was Ryu who defended her.

Nanako in 2014

Nanako in 2016

Punch – Currently undergoing integration. Matsuura has commented that Punch shares traits similar to Otome. IMO whether that similarity continues as he grows remains to be seen. But to me, he seems to be doing well.

Punch playing on the chains <3

There is also a post from 2013 mentioning that Marco(?) abandoned a baby born in July, and that the infant was hand reared. I'm not sure whether this refers to Nanako or to a different monkey entirely. I haven't found any additional information about that individual.

So, based on what I've been able to find, there appear to be six (five(?)) known hand reared cases including Punch. However, Punch's integration is still ongoing. As far as I can tell from both the zoo's records and Matsuura's notes, Gori, Otome, and Ryu all successfully integrated into the troop, even though their long-term outcomes differed.

Matsuura also mentioned that, after implementing changes intended to reduce infant abandonment, there was roughly a ten-year period without any hand reared monkeys. Punch appears to be the most recent case. He also stated that contraceptives were used to help control the troop's population, although he was unsure whether the zoo still follows that practice today.

If I've misunderstood any of the information or missed relevant context, I'd be happy to be corrected ❤️

Edit: I've added links to Matsuura's notes, but still pending the zoo's website, and the zoo's official Twitter account. Much of the information comes from comparing these sources, as some details appear in one source but not the other.

I was recently informed that Matsuura does not permit reprinting or translating his notes. There is only one account authorized to provide translations, so I'll be reviewing my post again to make sure I haven't misunderstood or misrepresented anything. I'll also try to reach out to him.

If you're interested, you can check out the official translation account here