Stump-tailed macaque

About the stump-tailed macaque:

• The stump-tailed macaque, also called the bear macaque, is a species of Old-World monkey found in South Asia.
• Scientific Name: Macaca arctoides
• Habitat: They are found in tropical and subtropical evergreen forests.
• Distribution:
  • They are native to Cambodia, southwest China, northeast India, Laos, Myanmar, northwest Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. 
  • In India, it is found south of the Brahmaputra River, in the northeastern part of the country.
  • Its range in India extends from Assam and Meghalaya to eastern Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.
• Features:
  • They have thick, long, dark brown fur covering their bodies and short tails, which measure between 3.2 and 69 mm.
  • They have bright pink or red faces, which darken to brown or nearly black as they age and are exposed to sunlight. 
  • Males are larger than females, measuring 51.7-65cm long and weighing 9.7-10.2kg, while females measure 48.5-58.5cm and weigh 7.5-9.1kg.
  • Males have elongated canine teeth compared to females, which are important for establishing dominance within social groups.
  • They are known to eat fruits, leaves, seeds, insects, and small animals like frogs.
  • Like all macaques, this species has cheek pouches to store food for short periods of time.
  • They travel quadrupedally, usually on the ground, as they are not very agile in trees.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule II