About Lion Tailed Macaque
The Lion Tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus) also known as the Wanderoo, are endemic to the western ghats of India, and it is the Old-World monkey.
These are active during the daylight hours that is they are diurnal and they are rainforest dwellers. They are good climbers so they spend most of their lifespan on the upper part of the canopy of the rainforests.
Physical Characteristics
They have a black face and black hairs and its silver mane which is around the head and covers the cheeks to its chin is its outstanding feature and because of these hairs they are also called the “beard ape”.
Their length from the head to body is usually 42 to 61 cm and they have a weight of around 2 kilograms to 10 kilograms. They are considered to be smaller in terms of size in the macaque family.
The name “lion Tailed” is given because of its tail which is of medium size and at the end of the tail it has a black tuft which is similar to the lion’s tail.
Lion Tailed Macaque Facts
The interesting facts about the Lion Tailed Macaque are given below:
- They live in the 10 to 20 members of the hierarchical group and their group usually have many females and few males.
- They are the territorial animal because when any troops invade their territory, they protect it first by crying aloud, and if this not works then they become more aggressive and start brawling which can lead to fighting or simply chasing the invader. This shows that they are of aggressive nature.
- The Lion Tailed Macaque primarily eats the leaves, fruits, seeds, flowers, shoots, insects, etc.
- Lion Tailed Macaque cannot adjust to the new habitat if their old one is destroyed by anyone.
- They are great swimmers.
Lion Tailed Macaque Habitat and population
In India, they are found in the western ghats of the state Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. They are 3000 to 5000 in numbers in the rainforest of these states.
These are one of the rarest Macaque. Their habitat is becoming more fragmented and isolated because of the increase of agriculture, construction, and other human activities in their habitat. Because of this human interface, their population is declining very drastically.
To protect these Lion Tailed macaques, the silent valley national was made undisturbed habitat for them. Their population is also highest in the silent valley national park in south India.
Lion Tailed Macaque IUCN Status
Because of their habitat loss and hunting, these are the most threatened and rarest species of primates in the world. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list as ‘Endangered’.
After all the efforts of conservation by the national and international bodies, they are no longer on the list of ‘world’s 25 most endangered Primates’.
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