Lion-Tailed Macaque

About Lion-tailed Macaque: 

• The Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) is an Old World monkey.
• 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. 
• Appearance
  • They are characterised by the grey mane around their face.
  • They are sometimes called bearded monkeys.
  • The magnificent Lion-tailed macaque is named due to its lion-like, long, thin, and tufted tail. 
• Habitat
  • In the wild, these are only native to India.
  • It is a primate endemic to small and severely fragmented rainforests of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
  • Threat: The biggest threat to the overall population of this species is the destruction of their rainforest habitat. 
• Conservation status
  • IUCN: Endangered
  • CITES: Appendix I 
  • The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

Q1: What is Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)?

It is an international agreement between governments that aims to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. CITES was adopted in 1973 and entered into force in 1975.

Source: Birth of young lion-tailed macaque in Mysuru zoo raises hopes of breeding vulnerable species