(Maca silenus)
The lion-tailed macaque is an Old World monkey which is endemic to the Western Ghats of India.
Conservation status: Endangered
Scientific classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Infraorder: Simiiformes
Family: Cercopothecidae
Genus: Macaca
Species: M. silenus
The hair of the lion-tailed macaque is black. It's characteristic is the silver-white name which surrounds the head from the cheeks down to its chin, which gives this monkey it's German name Bartaffe means "beard ape". The face is black in colour. Its length is 42 to 61 cm and weight is 2 to 10 kg. Tail is medium in length at about 25 cm, and has a black tuft at the end that is similar to a lion's tail. The life expectancy in the wild is approximately 20 years, while in captivity is up to 30 years.
The lion-tailed macaque is a rainforest dweller, it is diurnal, and is active exclusively during daylight hours. It is a good climber and spends a majority of its life in the upper canopy of tropical evergreen forest. A group usually consists of 10to 20 members.
Lion-tailed macaque feeds on a large variety of fruits, leaves, buds, insects, small vertebraes and birds eggs.
The lion-tailed macaque ranks among the rastest and most threatened primates. In the late 20th century, it was on the list of 'The World's 25 Most Endangered Primates'. After conservation programs in Silent Valley National Park, Neyyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Periyar Tiger Reserve and in other protected areas, the population of the species has risen.
At current time, they have a population of 3000- 3500 individuals.
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