Data Digitization

MacaqueNet relies on the generous data contributions from researchers around the world. Some of these valuable datasets — especially older ones — still exist only in handwritten or scanned formats and need to be digitized and reformatted before they can be standardised and added to the database.

That is where you come in! Want to become a member of the MacaqueNet consortium? We are looking for volunteers to help digitize or process one or more behavioural macaque datasets. Whether you are a student, early-career researcher, or just looking for a meaningful side project, this is a fantastic opportunity to gain experience working with large, real-world datasets. No previous experience is necessary — the MacaqueNet Management Team will provide full training and guidance in data handling and manipulation using tools such as Microsoft Office and R — all of which look great on a CV!

Datasets may include interactions of grooming, aggression, proximity or body contact, and many have full demographic and observation effort for all subjects. These data might just be the exact species, population or behaviours you are interested in studying. Once digitized and added to the database, many of these datasets will be made openly accessible and available for collaboration with the MacaqueNet consortium.

There may be opportunities to help digitize and/or process the following datasets:

Rhesus macaques (Cayo Santiago, 1987-1989)

  • Population: Free-ranging, food provisioned, no regular contact with non-researcher humans.
  • 2 social groups.
  • Data collection protocol: Count (aggression, sexual, proximity) and duration data (grooming, body-contact, additional behaviours) collected by continuous and discrete (proximity) sampling during focal follows.
  • Social behaviours: Grooming, proximity, body-contact, aggression, sexual.
  • Additional behaviours: feeding, traveling, resting.

Bonnet macaques (California Primate Research Center at UC Davis, 1984-1987)

  • Population: Captive, food provisioned, no regular contact with non-researcher humans.
  • 2 social groups.
  • Data collection protocol: Duration data collected by continuous sampling during focal follows.
  • Social behaviours: Grooming.
  • Other metrics: Dominance hierarchies.

Bonnet macaques (Bandipur National Park in India, 2005-2008)

  • Population: Free-ranging, provisioned, regular contact with non-researcher humans.
  • 5 social groups.
  • Social behaviours: Grooming, aggression, proximity.

Bonnet macaques (Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in India, 1996-1997)

  • Population: Free-ranging, provisioned, regular contact with non-researcher humans.
  • 1 social group.
  • Social behaviours: Grooming, aggression, proximity.

Lion-tailed macaques (Puthuthottam Rainforest Fragment in India, 2000-2001)

  • Population: Free-ranging, provisioned, regular contact with non-researcher humans.
  • 1 social group.
  • Social behaviours: Grooming, aggression, proximity.

Long-tailed macaques (Baluran National Park in Indonesia, 2017-2018)

  • Population: Free-ranging, provisioned, regular contact with non-researcher humans.
  • 1 social group.
  • Data collection protocol: Count data collected by discrete sampling during focal follows.
  • Social Behaviours: Grooming, aggression, proximity.
  • Other Behaviours: Feeding, foraging, traveling, resting, vigilance.
  • Other Metrics: Data on human-macaque interactions.

Long-tailed macaques (Ketambe, Gunung Leuser National Park in Sumatra, 1980-1983)

  • Population: Wild, non-provisioned, no regular contact with non-human researchers.
  • 4 social groups.
  • Data collection protocol: Count data - social behaviours collected by continuous sampling and non-social behaviours by discrete sampling during focal follows.
  • Social Behaviours: Grooming, aggression, sexual, play.
  • Other Behaviours: Feeding, foraging, traveling, resting, standing.

Please refer to the MacaqueNet glossary for definitions of dataset variables and protocols.

Interested in helping out? Register your interest by clicking the button above.

Current Data Digitizers

Chandrani Poddar

Chandrani Poddar

5th year BSMS student at the Behavioural Ecology Lab, IISER Kolkata

Manuela Cardona R

Manuela Cardona R

MSc By Research Student at the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour (CRAB), University of Exeter

William Russel

Previous MSc Animal Behaviour Student at Queen's University Belfast