Locally known as yaki, wolai, or bolai,[3] its skin and hairless face is, with the exception of some white hair in the shoulder range, entirely jet black.

[4] Uniquely among macaques, males and young females bear a heart-shaped skin pad on the rump.

[6] It has an ape-like appearance due to its almost non-existent, non-visible, vestigial tail stub of only approximately 2 cm (0.8 in).

The receptivity of the females is clearly indicated by an extreme tumescence (swelling) and redness of their buttocks which, in contrast to the black skin colour, is particularly noticeable.

A series of survey trips to Sulawesi and the Minahasa forest area were made in 2004–2009 by Vicki Melfi, who is European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) studbook holder for these macaques, based at Paignton Zoo / the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust.

The project, a collaboration between the German Primate Centre and the Bogor Agricultural Institute, is run by Antje Engelhardt, and located in the Tangkoko reserve, home of the biggest crested macaque population remaining in the species' original distribution range.

Nevertheless, despite being critically endangered, crested black macaque are still unprotected outside of Tangkoko reserve, and they are regularly hunted and slaughtered.

[14] In 2014, considerable discussion of copyright issues was generated by a 'selfie' photograph taken by a Celebes crested macaque.