Stump-tailed macaque

About Stump-tailed macaque:

• The stump-tailed macaque, also called the bear macaque, is a species of Old World monkey found in South Asia.
• Scientific Name: Macaca arctoides
• Habitat: They are found in tropical and subtropical evergreen forests.
• Distribution:
  • They are native to Cambodia, southwest China, northeast India, Laos, Myanmar, northwest Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. 
  • In India, it is found in the south of the Brahmaputra River, in the northeastern part of the country.
  • Its range in India extends from Assam and Meghalaya to eastern Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
• Features:
  • They have thick, long, dark brown fur covering their bodies and short tails which measure between 3.2 and 69 mm.
  • They have bright pink or red faces which darken to brown or nearly black as they age and are exposed to sunlight. 
  • Males are larger than females, measuring 51.7-65cm long and weighing 9.7-10.2kg, while females measure 48.5-58.5cm and weigh 7.5-9.1kg. 
  • Males have elongated canine teeth compared to females, which are important for establishing dominance within social groups.
  • They are known to eat fruits, leaves, seeds, insects and small animals like frogs.
  • Like all macaques, this species has cheek pouches to store food for short periods of time.
  • They travel quadrupedally, usually on the ground, as it is not very agile in trees.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule II

Q1) What are Old World monkeys?

Old World monkeys are a group of primates belonging to the superfamily Cercopithecoidea. They are called "Old World" monkeys because they are native to Africa and Asia, and they are in contrast to the "New World" monkeys, which are found in the Americas. Old World monkeys are more closely related to apes and humans than they are to New World monkeys.

Source: Meet Delhi zoo’s new residents – eight stump-tailed macaques