
Scientific Name
Macaca silenus
Classification
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Mammalia |
Order | Primates |
Family | Cercopithecidae |
Genus | Macaca |
Species | silenus |
IUCN Redlist Status

Location
Lion-tailed macaques are only located in southwestern India.
Habitat
Here they inhabit tropical evergreen and montane forests within the Western Ghats mountain range. They spend the majority of their lives in the treetops where they will find food and safety.
Diet
Lion-tailed macaques are omnivores. Their diet consists of fruits, nuts, seeds, leaves and insects.
Size
They are approximately 1.5 - 2 feet in height, and have a tail length of of 1 - 2 feet. They weigh between 10 - 25 pounds.
Description
Their bodies are covered in long, black hair. Around their faces grow silvery manes, and at the tips of their tails are balls of fur. These characteristics give them somewhat similar characteristics to lions, which is where their names are derived from.
Adaptations
Like many primates, lion-tailed macaques have a number of ways of communicating with one another. This communication may come in the form of gestures, screams, growls or other vocalizations and could be used for a variety of reasons, such as warning other macaques of danger.
Reproduction
Gestation periods for females last 5 - 6 months. They will most often give birth to one offspring.
Other Facts
Lion-tailed macaques are endangered. One of the primary reasons for this, as with many forest animals, is the loss of their habitat.