These captivating creatures stand out with their striking appearance, featuring a dark fur coat, a silver-white mane encircling their face, and a tufted tail reminiscent of a lion's.
One of the primary challenges faced by lion-tailed macaques is habitat loss and fragmentation. Deforestation, urbanisation, and infrastructure development have led to the degradation of their natural habitat, forcing these primates into smaller and more isolated areas.
Despite these challenges, lion-tailed macaques exhibit remarkable mating patterns and social behaviours. Mating within these troops involves competition among males for access to females.
Living in cohesive groups known as troops, they engage in complex social interactions and hierarchical structures.
Interestingly, lion-tailed macaques have a connection with another threatened habitat in the Western Ghats - the Myristica swamps. These swamps, known for their rich biodiversity, serve as important foraging grounds for the macaques. However, the loss of Myristica swamps due to habitat degradation further exacerbates the challenges faced by these primates, underscoring the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the importance of conservation efforts.
