Source: TH
Context: Nine bonnet macaques were found dead in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, raising fears of poisoning or disease.
About Bonnet Macaques:
What it is?
- A primate species endemic to southern India, often found living close to human settlements.
- Known for the distinctive “bonnet-shaped” hair whorl on its head.
Habitat:
- Found across Western Ghats, southern plains, and urban fringes.
- Thrive in evergreen forests, dry deciduous forests, plantations, and village edges.
- Highly arboreal but also terrestrial; adapt well near humans.
IUCN Status: Listed as Least Concern (LC) due to wide distribution.
Features:
- Physical:
- Color: Greyish-brown to golden-brown fur, pinkish hairless face.
- Size: 3.9 kg (female) to 6.7 kg (male); body length 35–60 cm (excluding tail).
- Males larger than females (sexual dimorphism).
- Biological:
- Reproduction: Annual breeding season (Sept–Oct); single offspring after ~24 weeks gestation.
- Lifespan: 20–25 years in wild; up to 35 years in captivity.
- Females give birth to ~5 offspring before menopause (~27 years).
- Social:
- Live in multi-male, multi-female troops averaging ~30 individuals.
- Linear dominance hierarchy; females are philopatric (stay in natal groups).
- Strong social grooming bonds; unique tolerance of juveniles by dominant males.
- Food Habits:
- Omnivorous and opportunistic.
- Diet: Fruits, seeds, insects, crops, and human food waste.
- Frequently forage in urban and semi-urban areas, often raiding households and plantations.
