Academic sciences had long shunned the idea of naming animals being observed. It wasn't until the last half of the 20th Century that acceptance grew for the practice of giving names to wild research subjects. Of course, currently, it's more common and accepted to assign names to animals being studied.
I've decided to start identifying individuals and, to facilitate easier identification, I am giving common names to each troop member (as I develop accurate identification).
To start, the low-hanging fruit is certainly to name the troop leader male. He is a robust, large adult male, likely in his middle or late teens (life expectancy for long tailed macaques can be up to 30 years). Because I've seen him frequently and photographed him extensively he's the first troop member I knew by sight.
I named him "Mal," after a character from a science fiction television show that I truly enjoyed in its day. As was the way of the character "Mal," the troop leader is focused on protection and survival of the group. Mal is gregarious at times but can inflict profound violence when the situation warrants. He exudes strength and leadership. To date, he is unchallenged by other males, who give Mal a great deal of respect.
Bibi is an older female that I came to know fairly quickly. I estimate her to be older than 19, and physiologically her body shows signs of former motherhood, though no young accompany her today. "Bibi" is Bahasa for Aunt, and her serene nature reminds me of a patient and caring aunt. Bibi is often content to sit and forage in solitude.
Nelly is nervous, and she has good reason to be. Her baby is the youngest monkey in the troop and she's like a very young mother. Add to her inexperience the fact that infanticide is a possibility among macaques, and it's easy to understand being cautious. Nelly is a bit of a "nervous Nelly," hence the name. Her baby I call "Squirt."
Other individuals will be named soon, I'm sure. It takes some time to develop a catalog of individuals. Still, it's nice to have a few names out there.
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