Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus)

Description

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Lion-tailed macaque fact file

• Description
• Biology
• Range
• Habitat
• Status
• Threats
• Conservation
• Find out more
• Glossary
• References
• Print factsheet

Lion-tailed macaque description

The striking lion-tailed macaque is one of the smallest and most endangered of the macaque species of monkey ⁽⁴⁾. The coat is shiny and black apart from an impressive mane of grey hair framing the face ⁽⁵⁾. The common name refers to the long, thin naked lion-like tail with a tuft of black fur on the end ⁽⁵⁾. The sexes are similar in appearance, although males are larger in size and have prominent canines ⁽⁴⁾.

French

Macaque À Queue De Lion, Macaque Ouandérou, Ouandérou.

Spanish

Macaca Leonina, Macaco Barbudo.

Size

Male head-and-body length: 51 – 61 cm ⁽²⁾

Female head-and-body length: 42 – 46 cm ⁽²⁾

Male tail length: 24 – 39 cm ⁽²⁾

Female tail length: 25 – 32 cm ⁽²⁾

Male weight: 5 – 10 kg ⁽²⁾

Female weight: 2 – 6 kg ⁽²⁾

Lion-tailed macaque biology

Lion-tailed macaques live in small groups of between 4 – 30 (average 10 and 20) members, which are usually composed of a single male, several females and their young, but occasionally up to three adult males are seen ^{(2) (5)}. These macaques spend the majority of their time in the trees, huddling together to sleep at night high up in the forest canopy ⁽⁴⁾. There is no specific breeding season; females that are ready to mate have small swellings in the region under their tail at oestrous, which the male examines ^{(2) (4)}. Females give birth to a single offspring after a gestation period of around 6 months (162 – 186 days) ^{(2) (5)}. Males tend to leave their natal group once they reach maturity and live in bachelor groups ⁽⁵⁾, whereas females remain, fitting into the hierarchy that exists ⁽⁶⁾. Groups are territorial and males of this species are the only macaques that use calls to denote territorial boundaries ⁽⁵⁾.

The mainstay of the lion-tailed macaque diet is fruit, although they will also forage for seeds, young leaves, flowers, buds and even fungi ⁽⁴⁾. Their distensible cheek pouches are used to quickly gather large amounts of food and when fully extended have the same capacity as their stomach ⁽⁵⁾.

Lion-tailed macaque range

Found in the Western Ghats Mountains of southwest India ⁽⁵⁾.

Lion-tailed macaque habitat

Inhabits evergreen broadleaf monsoon forest ⁽⁶⁾.

Lion-tailed macaque status

Classified as Endangered (EN - B1+2c, C2a) on the IUCN Red List 2002 ⁽¹⁾, and listed on Appendix I of CITES ⁽³⁾.

Lion-tailed macaque threats

Lion-tailed macaques are increasingly rare, mainly as a result of the destruction of their forest home. Only 1% of the original habitat remains today due to widespread deforestation for timber, agriculture and development ⁽⁴⁾. This species persists in isolated pockets of remaining forest, which can lead to inbreeding depression, thus further threatening their precarious status ⁽⁵⁾. Additional threats come from hunting; they may be persecuted as crop pests and are often mistaken for Nilgiri langurs (Semnopithecus johnii) whose meat is erroneously believed to have medicinal properties ^{(2) (4)}.

Lion-tailed macaque conservation

This species is one of the most endangered macaques in the world ⁽⁴⁾. International trade is banned by their listing on Appendix I of the International Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and they are also protected by Indian law ⁽⁷⁾. Lion-tailed macaques are found in at least 21 protected areas ⁽²⁾, but they are the subject of few studies or conservation programmes ⁽⁴⁾. A large captive population has been developed in American and European zoos as part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP) and this population has the potential to be used in reintroductions should this become necessary ⁽²⁾.

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Find out more

Further information on this species is available from:

• Smithsonian National Zoological Park:
  http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/AsiaTrail/lionmacaque.cfm

Authentication

Authenticated (24/04/2006) by Matt Richardson, independent primatologist and writer.

Glossary

Inbreeding depression

The reduction in viability, birth weight, and fertility that occurs in a population after one or more generations of inbreeding (interbreeding amongst close relatives).

Natal

Site of birth.

References

1. IUCN Red List (March, 2003)
   http://www.redlist.org
2. Richardson, M. (2006) Pers. comm.
3. CITES (March, 2003)
   http://www.cites.org
4. Singapore Zoological Gardens (March, 2003)
   http://www.szgdocent.org/pp/p-mclion.htm
5. Animal Diversity Web (March, 2003)
   http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu
6. Primate Info Net (March, 2003)
   http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/factsheets/macaca_silenus.html
7. Kaumanns, W., Schmid, P., Schwitzer, C., Husung, A. and Knogge, C. (2001) The European Population of Lion-Tailed Macaques (Macaca silenus): Status and Problems. Primate Report, 59: 65 - 75.