Lion-Tailed Macaque: Unique Facts & Habitat Insights for IAS

Lion-Tailed Macaque

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Context:

A lion-tailed macaque (LTM) has given birth to a young macaque at the Chamundi Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre for the Wild Animals, in Mysuru.

ASPECT	DESCRIPTION
*About*	It is an Old World monkey and they are sometimes called bearded monkeys. The Lion-tailed macaque is named due to its lion-like, long, thin, and tufted tail.
*Scientific Name*	*Macaca silenus*
*Nature*	This species is polygynous. Groups of M. silenus typically contain one male and several females and juveniles.
*Sexual dimorphism*	Males typically weigh between 5 and 10 kg, but the smaller females weigh only 3 to 6 kg showing sexual dimorphism in size.
*Distinguishing features*	One of the distinguishing features of this species is that males define the boundaries of their home ranges by calls. Overall, their communication system contains as many as 17 vocalisations. They are characterised by the grey mane around their face.
*Habitat*	They live in evergreen and semi-evergreen rainforests and monsoon forests. They typically are associated with broadleaf trees, and can be found at elevations as great as 1,500 m.
*Geographical distribution*	They are are only found in India. It is a primate endemic to small and severely fragmented rainforests of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
*Threat*	The biggest threat to the overall population of this species is the destruction of their rainforest habitat.
*Conservation Status*	IUCN: Endangered CITES: Appendix I The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I

ASPECT	DESCRIPTION
*About*	Old World monkeys belong to the family Cercopithecidae, which includes 24 genera and 138 species, making it the largest primate family. Examples: Notable genera include baboons (Papio), red colobus (Piliocolobus), and macaques (Macaca).
*Evolutionary Relationships*	Old World monkeys are closely related to apes. They diverged from a common ancestor with apes around 25 to 30 million years ago and from New World monkeys around 45 to 55 million years ago.
*Physical features*	They display a variety of facial features, with some having snouts and others being flat-nosed. Most have tails, but these tails are not prehensile.
*Size range*	The smallest Old World monkey is the talapoin, with a length of 34–37 cm and weighing 0.7–1.3 kg. The largest is the male mandrill, about 70 cm long and weighing up to 50 kg.
*Distribution*	The Old World monkeys occupy a wide variety of environments in South and East Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and even Gibraltar at the southern tip of Spain. Some species inhabit tropical forests, while others live on arid grasslands and even mountainous areas with heavy winter snow.

Sources:

Q.Consider the following statements about the Lion-Tailed Macaque:

They have socialising tendencies such as vocalisation and territoriality.
They are native to India.
Due to threats of poaching, they are categorised as Critically endangered by the IUCN.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

A.Only one

B.Only two

C. All Three

D.None

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct:

It is an Old World monkey and they are sometimes called bearded monkeys.
The magnificent Lion-tailed macaque is named due to its lion-like, long, thin, and tufted tail.

Scientific name: Macaca silenus

Distinguishing features

One of the distinguishing features of this species is that males define the boundaries of their home ranges by calls.
Overall, their communication system contains as many as 17 vocalisations.
They are characterised by the grey mane around their face.

Statement 2 is correct:

Habitat

In the wild, these are only native to India.
It is a primate endemic to small and severely fragmented rainforests of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Statement 3 is incorrect:

Threat:

The biggest threat to the overall population of this species is the destruction of their rainforest habitat.

Conservation status