Importance des macaques à queue de cochon (Macaca nemestrina leonina) dans la dispersion des graines : impact sur l’équilibre écologique de la forêt tropicale au parc national de Khao Yai, Thaïlande

Today, many countries of South-East Asia know about the alarming state of the forests existing on their territory and all know that it is essential to save the still existing primary forest but also to enable the regeneration of degraded areas, in particular thanks to reforestation (natural or artificial). To elucidate the role of seed dispersers and to promote their conservation are essential for the conservation of the tropical rainforests. While following a troop of pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina leonina) accustomed to Man in Khao Yai National park (2 168 km ²), Thailand, we will bring important data relating to these seed dispersers potentially necessary but unfortunately vulnerable. Indeed, this species, from which very little has been studied, seems to be essential to the dispersal of many plant species, particularly those inaccessible to smaller frugivores. The results emanating from the first fieldwork already show important characteristics: the dispersal of many seed species, of all kind of size, in all forest types, from primary forest to secondary forest, thanks to various handling techniques. They also seem to show an adaptation in their daily travels according to resources availability. The next fieldworks will enable us to bring more precision in these results and their temporal variations and thus to conclude on the potential role of Macaca nemestrina in the regeneration of the tropical rainforest.