Rhesus macaque
Amazing fact
In rhesus macaque groups, the offspring of high-ranking females inherit their mothers’ rank.
井の頭自然文化園
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
In rhesus macaque groups, the offspring of high-ranking females inherit their mothers’ rank.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Rhesus macaque
- Scientific name
- Macaca mulatta
- Japanese name
- アカゲザル
- Group
- Land mammals
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Primates
- Family
- Cercopithecidae
- Genus
- Macaca
It is a monkey that lives in troops in the forests and woodlands of South Asia, Southeast Asia and nearby regions.
As its Japanese name, meaning red hair, suggests, it has reddish-brown fur on its back and hips. Its tail is longer than a Japanese macaque's.
It eats leaves, flowers, fruit, nuts and insects, and it can store food in its cheek pouches.
How the Rhesus macaque lives
They move through the forest, finding food in trees and on the ground. Males usually leave their birth group when they mature. Females generally spend their lives in the group where they were born.
井の頭自然文化園University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebBasic data
- Size
- Head and body length: 45–65 cm
- Diet
- Leaves, grass, flowers, roots, fruit, seeds, and small animals such as insects
- Range
- South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia
Where the Rhesus macaque has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- アカゲザル
- 简体中文
- 普通猕猴
- 繁體中文
- 普通獼猴
- 한국어
- 히말라야원숭이
- Español
- Macaco rhesus
- Français
- Macaque rhésus
- Deutsch
- Rhesusaffe
- Português (Brasil)
- Macaco-rhesus
- Italiano
- Macaco reso
- हिन्दी
- रीसस बंदर
- العربية
- مكاك ريسوسي
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Monyet rhesus
- Tiếng Việt
- Khỉ vàng
- Русский
- Макак-резус
- Türkçe
- Hint şebeği
- ไทย
- ลิงวอก
- বাংলা
- লাল বান্দর
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 井の頭自然文化園 — アカゲザルChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Macaca mulattaChecked: 2026-11-03
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Rhesus macaque, look for this
- You may see them swimming.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebEXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Rhesus macaque
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Kanto
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
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Others in Cercopithecidae
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