ADVENTURE & WILDLIFE
Endangered Lion-tailed Macaque
The Lion-tailed Macaque has a mane of hair and a tail that makes it look like a lion. It is endangered as its forest habitat is being turned into farmland to sate the needs of ever expanding human civilization. The Lion-tailed Macaque lives in forested areas in the Western Ghats, a mountain range in southwest India.
The lion-tailed macaque( Macaca silenus), also known as the wanderoo, is an Old World monkey endemic to the Western Ghats of South India.
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is an International Biosphere Reserve in the Western Ghats and Nilgiri Hills ranges of South India. The Western Ghats, Nilgiri Sub-Cluster( 6,000 + km ²), conjoining the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, is a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO in 2012. It includes the Mudumalai, Mukurthi, Sathyamangalam, Nagarhole, Wayanad, and Bandipur national parks encompassing an area of about 5,520 sq. km. It is located in the Western Ghats between 76 °- 77 ° 15’ E and 11 ° 15’- 12 ° 15’ N. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve encompasses parts of Tamilnadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
A fascinating ecosystem of the hill ranges of Nilgiris and its surrounding environments covering a tract of over 5000 square kilometers was constituted as Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in September 1986 under Man and Biosphere Programme. Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve is India’ s first and foremost biosphere reserves with a heritage, rich in flora and fauna. Tribal groups like the Todas, Kotas, Irullas, Kurumbas, Paniyas, Adiyans, Edanadan Chettis, Cholanaickens, Allar, Malayan, etc., are native to the reserve.
The LTM, as they are popularly called by the wildlife enthusiast’ s community, are specially found in the areas around Valparai, which has become a major habitat for these animals. The Western ghats are filled with jackfruit trees making for a huge part of the LTM’ S menu. They also tend to feed on tree barks and other foliage, smaller insects, frogs and lizards. Generally the sexes are similar in growth, a average of 20-30 inches in length.
The lion-tailed macaque is listed on the endangered species list as their habitats have been majorly taken over by the plantations in the western Ghats, Although they are not in the top 25 list at present.
Reproduction cycle or gestation is although the year and generally females are ready from 5 yrs of age, while the males are mostly ready around the 7th year to mate, this has kept their numbers from not becoming extinct, but the fear of dwindling numbers due to habits loss is a major concern. Along with that, poaching of these monkeys for flesh and fur exists to a great extent.
Unlike other primates the LTM’ s are territorial and live in groups and territorial fights are a common occurrence, they are very expressive like other primates and it is a joy to watch them playing, eating etc in the western forests. It is sheer pleasure to watch these intelligent creatures hide good amount of food in their cheek pouches and acting fishy once they hide. Groups are formed with a dominant male heading the group and the mother and offspring under his care, Males when they are ready to mate split and create new groups and wander out.
Estimated at around 2500 to exist worldwide, with around 4 % of that in captivity, they are a species to watch out for, Tropical zones in Western Ghats are where they are exclusively found in India, A lovely mammal, a great primate, always a pleasure to see them in happy groups.
Vol 1 | Issue 5-6 | Nov 16- Jan 17 83