Why in News?
Nine bonnet macaques were found dead near Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, raising fears of poisoning or disease. Foam around their mouths suggests toxicity. Post-mortem was inconclusive, with toxicology and disease tests, including for Kyasanur Forest Disease, underway. The Forest Department has registered a case.
Description:
- Type: Old-World monkey (Family: Cercopithecidae).
- Region: Native to the Oriental region, especially Southern India.
- Feature: Distinct bonnet-like whorl of hair on its head.
- Habitat:
- Natural: Evergreen & dry deciduous forests of the Western Ghats.
- Human-dominated: Urban, suburban, and agricultural landscapes.
Behaviour & Ecology:
- Lifestyle: Arboreal + terrestrial quadrupeds; diurnal.
- Social structure: Multi-male, multi-female troops (~30 members).
- Communication:
- Visual (grinning, clicking), tactile, and vocal.
- Alarm calls for predators.
- Can recognize alarm calls of sympatric primates → Hanuman langurs & Lion-tailed macaques.
Reproduction & Lifespan:
- Maturity: Females mature ~3 years.
- Birth age: Around 4 years.
- Gestation: ~24 weeks.
- Infant care: Nurse for 6–7 months, remain close to mothers ~1 year.
Feeding Habits:
- Omnivorous: Fruits, leaves, insects, bird eggs, lizards.
- Near humans: Known to raid food offerings, trash bins, and gardens → frequent human–wildlife conflict.
Conservation Status:
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I (highest protection in India).
- IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.
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