Stars Of The Monkeyverse - Lion Tailed Macaques

Valparai, Tamil Nadu

My initial plan was to see these guys in Valparai along with the winter migratory birds of Thattekad who I plan to see this winter. It didn’t take long though, to work out that since they live in such close proximity to two other Primate species, this destination would fit much better as a standalone trip just for Primates. Seeing these Primates in August fit pretty well around my work calendar and although the reserves around Valparai were shut for the summer, they don’t really have much else of interest to me currently when I’m already planning a different trip to the area for birds later on in the year. Possible rain was always the gamble with this trip but I’d told myself that I was taking the calculated chance which wildlife always is. I’d scheduled 4 days instead of 2 which I’d probably recommend if you’re travelling there for Primates when it’s not raining.

Lion Tailed Macaques stand out. They’re unique to look at with their black fur, lion like tails, their unique faces and the mane. You can’t confuse em with any other kind of Macaque let alone any other Primate. Pictures and videos make them look pretty formidable, which they probably are in their own right and like I said in “Meeting the Wanderoo”, they’d probably be the most ferocious looking beasts if it just wasn’t for their size. They’re small. In fact, they’re one of the smallest Primates in the world and get upto 61 cm in length. In comparison, the Assam Macaques from my home state get upto 74 cm in length. But what they lack in size, they definitely make up for in attitude. Oh they act pretty much like how they look alright and I know cause one of em shoved at my leg while walking past while I was taking these pictures. They look formidable cause they are so despite the size. They’re rowdy, especially the males and it was interesting to watch how the males took up positions while the troop moved. The front, back and flanks were always covered by the males and it was one of these guys who shoved me aside in his hurry to retake his next position as the troop crossed the road at Puthuthottam and moved on ahead. Lion Tailed macaques are stars of the Monkeyverse and honestly, they deserve it with that attitude and look despite the size.

These guys are found only in the states of Karnataka, Kerela and Tamil Nadu in India and roughly around 3500 of them remain today making them fall under the classification of Endangered in the IUCN red list. Habitat Fragmentation is the primary cause of concern for these guys. Logging, setting up of tea and coffee plantations and the stresses of human expansion have totally cut up their territories. They just have to cross the road that these pictures are from and then trek across a tea estate to get to wilderness again. I knew where to find them because we’ve built around their ancestral routes. Their low numbers and fragmented territories also lead to inbreeding which brings with it, further genetic problems for their troops. It’s obvious that these guys prefer to fend for themselves unlike many Macaque species in India which with time have become mostly dependant on foraging around human settlements. I’m sure that one of these guys won’t refuse a melon that he may stumble upon, yet you won’t find him waiting at the same spot after that for the next one to present itself.

We’re not doing too badly in our conservation efforts for these guys. Their numbers were once assessed to have dropped to around 1000 individuals in the wild. At 3500 now, Id say it’s not bad given that we’re not feeding them directly. In comparison, Indonesian Orangutan numbers stand at around 120000 in total in comparison to 230000 a century ago. Those guys over in Indonesia and Malaysia get social service though via the designated feeding stations. Then again, most other Macaques in India are completely living off our cities and temples as well. It’s difficult to compare different species within the same system because the natures of the animals are different. When the system itself is different, the comparison can perhaps just shed some light on the system itself if you ask me and not really much else. I just hope that it never gets to where we have to intervene, change the system and start feeding them directly.

I’d read that the Puthuthottam group of Lion Tailed Macaques was a pretty large group and was surprised when I saw just 10 or 15 individuals while taking the pictures that you see here. But then, with growing numbers, Primate troops split and I’m certain that that’s just the case in Valparai. The old literature that I’d gotten my hands on had classified the entire group of Lion Tailed Macaques as the Puthuthottam troop. But, Puthuthottam wasn’t the only place where I saw Lion Tailed Macaques in Valparai. I ran into an even larger troop on my last day there and like 15 kilometers away which I’ll tell you about that when I come to that.

Till then, I hope you enjoy these portraits that I’ve wanted to make for so long. I must admit that I would have never pulled this off in the wild with them up in the trees. But, with their territory being fragmented, I caught em on the road which may or may not be a good thing. It’s change and evolution which is the only constant perhaps but it’s good to learn that in this changing world, it isn’t over for the Wonderoo yet. Their survival has a chance and that’s perhaps all that it takes.