Lauren has taught intermediate reading in an English Language Institute, and she has her Master's degree in Linguistics.
Have you ever touched a baby's head? What about a kitten or a puppy? One thing these different babies have in common is they have super soft hair or fur, which changes as they get older. Did you know this is true for some monkey species as well? Take the lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus), for example. They have very soft fur all over their bodies when they are born. However, after they are about two months old they get their adult coat, which is not as soft, just as humans have less soft hair as adults.
Lion-tailed macaques get their name from their skinny tails, which have a tuft of fur at the end just like a lion's tail. These monkeys have long gray manes of fur around their faces, which is also very lion-like. Other than the mane, lion-tailed macaques are mostly black, sometimes with light-colored bellies. Unlike lions, the macaques are quite small. They only grow to about two feet long, not including their tail, and they weigh around 20-25 pounds.
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Lion-tailed macaques typically live in groups of 10-20 members, led by one dominant male. Female macaques stay with their natal group, the group they are born in, but males often leave and spend part of their lives in an all-male group before trying to join a new male-female group.
Lion-tailed macaques have a wide range of communication, both for within a group and between different groups. Vocal communication is a major aspect of their lives. They have 17 different calls! This includes a warning call letting intruding macaques know they are trespassing.
Lion-tailed macaques also use body language, particularly for communicating within a group. What if you greeted other people by smacking your lips at them? That's what lion-tailed macaques do!
This species is found in the Western Ghats mountains of India. Their preferred habitat is primary tropical forest, which is a type of forest that has never been disturbed by humans. Specifically, they live high up in the trees, in the upper canopy of the forest. They also sometimes live in disturbed, or secondary forest, and can sometimes even be seen in cultivated areas, such as human-planted fruit trees.
Unfortunately, much of their native habitat is being transformed into farmland. This is a significant part of the reason lion-tailed macaques are endangered. The farms cut up the forest into isolated sections, which makes it difficult for females to find new males to mate with.
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Lion-tailed macaques are quadrupeds. This means their main method of locomotion is to walk on all four legs. This species spends almost all of its time up in trees, and they walk along branches on all fours as well. However, they do sometimes come down to the ground, such as to forage for food, or to get water. In fact, sometimes they even come down to play in the water and splash around!
Since lion-tailed macaques use all four legs for walking, they have developed cheek pouches. This allows them to carry food back to the safety of their home without limiting the use of their limbs. All in all, lion-tailed macaques are a unique and fascinating species.
The lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) is quite an interesting creature. When they are born they have very soft fur, but grow their adult fur at two months old. They have a tail with a tuft on the end like a lion, as well as a gray mane around their face. This species lives in the Western Ghats mountains of India, mostly in primary tropical forest. They can be found in secondary or cultivated forest as well, but either way, they prefer the upper levels of trees. Unfortunately, they are endangered because of habitat loss. They live in groups of 10-20, and females stay with their natal group, though males do not. Lion-tailed macaques have varied vocal communication, and they also use body language. These monkeys are quadrupeds, whether they are in the trees or on the ground. When they come to the ground to forage, they carry food back in cheek pouches so they can use their limbs for walking.
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Kingdom Animalia: Study Guide & Review23 chapters | 301 lessons
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