Bearded monkey
| Bearded monkey | ||||||||||||
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Bearded monkey ( Macaca silenus ) |
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| Macaca silenus | ||||||||||||
| ( Linnaeus , 1758) |
The macaques or Wanderu ( Macaca silenus ) is a primate species from the genus of macaques within the family of Cercopithecidae (Cercopithecidae). It lives in south-western India and its population is threatened.
description
The fur of the bearded monkey is dark brown or black, the most outstanding feature is the silver-white mane that surrounds the head at the cheeks and chin, and to which this monkey owes its German name. The hairless face is colored black. With a head body length of 40 to 60 centimeters and a weight of 3 to 10 kilograms, it is one of the smaller macaques, although the males are significantly heavier than the females. The tail is medium-long with a length of 24 to 38 centimeters and has a black tassel at the end. Certain similarities with a lion have given it the name Lion-tailed Macaque in English .
Distribution and way of life
Bearded monkeys live exclusively in south-western India in the southern regions of the Western Ghats . They are diurnal rainforest dwellers and good climbers who spend most of their lives on the trees. In contrast to other macaque species, they avoid human proximity and do not colonize plantations. In their group behavior they are similar to the other macaques: they live in groups of mostly ten to twenty animals, which are composed of a few males and many females. There is a distinct hierarchy within the groups. Bearded monkeys are territorial animals, they initially defend their territory with loud screams against other groups. If this does not help, it can also lead to aggressive scuffles.
Bearded monkeys feed primarily on fruits, but also eat leaves, buds, insects and small vertebrates.
Reproduction
After a gestation period of around six months, the female usually gives birth to a single young. This is suckled for around a year and reaches sexual maturity at four (females) to six years. Life expectancy in the wild is around 20 years, in captivity up to 30 years.
threat
Bearded monkeys are among the rarest and most threatened primates. The IUCN estimates that there are fewer than 2,500 adults of this species scattered across several areas in south-west India. The destruction of their habitat and the fact that they avoid human proximity have led to a drastic decline in the population. The IUCN lists the species as endangered . Several zoological gardens, including in Europe, are participating in a breeding program aimed at ensuring the survival of this species.
literature
- Thomas Geissmann : Comparative Primatology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin et al. 2003, ISBN 3-540-43645-6 .
Web links
- Information on theprimata.com
- Information on the Animal Diversity Web
- Macaca silenus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2006. Posted by: Participants of CBSG CAMP workshop: Status of South Asian Primates (March 2002), 2004. Retrieved on 9 May, 2006.