squirrel and the Asiatic long-tailed climbing mouse. Predators Wild cats (leopards and fishing cats) and Indian rock python are the main predators of this species. Conservation The toque macaque is listed as Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to habitat destruction and hunting, and also for the pet trade. Much of the original forested habitat of the toque macaque has been lost, between 1956 and 1993 50% of Sri Lanka's forest cover was destroyed. Plantations and fuel wood collection have been the main drivers of habitat lost. Toque macaques were also used by both Sri Lanka Army and Tamil Tigers as target practice during the Sri Lankan Civil War. Both subspecies M. s. aurifrons and M. s. sinica are kept as pets. Antibody prevalence In an experiment, serum samples taken from toque macaque individuals at Polonnaruwa were examined for antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii by the modified agglutination test. There was no evidence of maternal transmission of antibodies or congenital toxoplasmosis. None of the infected macaques died within 1 year after sampling. Toxoplasma gondii infection was closely linked to human environments where domestic cats were common. Although infection with T. gondii has been noted in several species of Asian primates, this is the first report of T. gondii antibodies in toque macaques. References External links ARKive - images and movies of the toque macaque (Macaca sinica) BBC - Toque macaque Wolfgang Dittus - A toque macaque researcher toque Macaque Mammals of Sri Lanka Endemic fauna of Sri Lanka Toque Macaque toque macaque Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus