Macaca nigra in the Spotlight: Accounting for Diversity in Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation in Primates

Long-term studies of well-identified individuals and improved methodologies have advanced primate behavioral ecology, genetics, and physiology (Kappeler & Watts, 2012; Sheldon et al., 2022). However, model species are few and we need to focus on less studied taxa to assess the general validity of theoretical models and to account for the extraordinary level of variation in primate ecology and behavior (Bezanson & McNamara, 2019). In this Special Issue, we focus on such a primate species, moreover one that is Critically Endangered: the crested macaque Macaca nigra. We also take this opportunity to celebrate 17 years of activity of a long-term project, the Macaca Nigra Project (MNP), in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, where the crested macaque is endemic. We start by retracing the history of the MNP, situating the project, the studies, and the species in its environment. We then take stock of past, present, and future research from various perspectives with nine original contributions. Now more than ever, this is important given the particular place of crested macaques in the primate radiation, and the bleak outlook for their survival. We also use the opportunity to celebrate the great resilience of people participating in the conservation of the species.