| LION-TAILED MACAQUE |
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| The Lion-tailed macaque, is endemic to the rain forests of Western Ghats (South West,India) India. It is considered as the ancestor of all Asian macaques. Current population: > 3000 animals in the wild.And about 600 in various zoos. Social Structrure: Usually unimale but some multimale troops also occur in a localised regions of some forest fragments. One male and 5-6 females. Group Size: 18-19 individuals Birth seasons : Dec - Feb Home Range : 125 -500 Ha Gestation: 170 Days Vocalization: Similar to other macaques but also have unique whop and copulatory call. Major Threats: Habitat Destruction, Forest Fragmentation, Hunting also in some regions. Conservation Status: Endangered Schedule I of SITIES. |
| Lion-tailed macaque is a medium sized monkey with shiny black fur and long grayish-white hair around face or mane. Tail has a small bushy tassle at the end like a lion and hense the name Lion-tailed. Group size of lion tailed macaque is smaller than other macaques. The Adult Sex-ratio is highly biased toward females., with about 5-6 females per male. They have a very low birth rate compared to most other macaques. Inter birth interval is long and also age at which female give birth for 1st time is also high (mean age 6.6 years). The only positive feature for stable population maintenance is very low mortality rate. It is also highly adapted to the forest conditions. Thus any small change any of the factors, any disease or any change in habitat is enough to annihilate the whole population. Estrous is overt, estrous condition is indicated by swelling in the perineal region. Mainly food is fruits they also feed on nectar, gum, resins and some invertibrates, bird eggs and nestlings of birds and giant squirrels. Distribution: High elevation regions of the Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka ( mainly at the tri junction of these states), India.Generally elevation of 150 - 1500m. Recent extinction from wetern states of Maharashtra, Goa, and also lowlands of kerala. Head and Body length : males 45 - 60 cm : females 40 - 45 cm Weight : males 5 - 10kg : females 3 - 6kg |
| Generic Name Macaca silenus Family Cercopithecidae Habitat Tropical forest Origin Western Ghats India |
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| Distribution of Lion-tailed macaque and related macaques |
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