Lion-Tailed Macaque

Lion‑Tailed Macaques Latest News

Researchers cautioned that the increase of lion‑tailed macaques in human-dominated landscapes is driven largely by easy access to food associated with human presence.

About Lion‑Tailed Macaques

• It is an Old World monkey.
• It is also known as the ‘beard ape’ because of its mane. 
• Appearance
  • The magnificent Lion-tailed macaque is named due to its lion-like, long, thin, and tufted tail. Also they are characterised by the grey mane around their face.
  • It is one of the smallest macaque species in the world.
• Distribution: It is endemic to evergreen rainforests of the southern part in Western Ghats, with its range passing through the three states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

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Characteristics of Lion‑Tailed Macaques

• It is an arboreal and diurnal creature, they sleep at night in trees (typically, high in the canopy of rainforest).
• These macaques are territorial and very communicative animals. One of the distinguishing features of this species is that males define the boundaries of their home ranges by calls.
• Overall, their communication system contains as many as 17 vocalisations.
• Diet: It is omnivorous and feeds upon a wide variety of food, although fruits form the major part of their diet.

Conservation Status of Lion‑Tailed Macaques

• IUCN: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

Source: TH