Far away in the jungles of the Western Ghats, is a little black ‘lion’. He is called so because of his head and the tuft on the tail! The canines in his mouth can bring shivers to your bones, and so can his cry, fierce and mighty! But afraid of the nights, he lives on top of trees, is shy as a squirrel and eats nothing but fruits!
The lion-tailed Macaques, also known as Wanderoos, are a species of monkeys endemic to the Western Ghats.
Identifying a lion-tailed Macaque from other monkeys is child’s play. Its body is hairy and dark. The dark hairless face centres a silver-white mane, and the tails have a tufted tip, both traits resembling the lion. The trunk is haired, but not the face. It is black and boasts long and sharp canines inside the mouth.
The lion-tailed Macaques are diurnal and arboreal, and feed mainly on fruits, leaves, buds, and insects. They are endemic to the tropical rainforest regions of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka and appear in groups of about 20 members.
Good defenders of their territory, they engage in fierce brawls and loud cries when threatened. Agriculture, dams, and tea/coffee plantations have pushed down their population to being ‘endangered’ according to the IUCN Red List.
Picture Credit : Google
