Indian Monkeys: India, officially known as the Republic of India, is the second-most populous country in the world, with a population of over 1.3 billion. In addition to its historical architecture, delicious food, and generally vibrant culture, India is also known for its diverse flora and fauna.
For one, it is home to 19 species of Old World monkeys; 6 of them are endemic to the nation. Examples of these endemic species include the Nilgiri langur (Semnopithecus johnii), the bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata), and the lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus).
India has many cultural and religious ties with monkeys as a Hindu-dominant country. For instance, the Hanuman langur, one of India’s most widespread monkey species, was named after Hanuman, a powerful part-monkey deity in Hinduism[1].
However, it should also be noted that the Hanuman langur, along with many other monkey species of the country, is facing endangerment due to habitat loss caused by deforestation, urbanization, and other human-caused issues[2].
Indian Monkeys
Here is the list of all monkey species native to the sub-continent India.
Arunachal Macaque
Species Name: Macaca munzalaNative Countries: India
The Arunachal macaque is a comparatively sizeable brown primate with a relatively short tail. Arunachal macaques were first classified into Cercopithecidae's taxonomy in 2005 by primatologists Madhusudan and Mishra.
Assam Macaque
Species Name: Macaca assamensisNative Countries: Vietnam,Nepal,India,Myanmar,Thailand
The Assam macaque, also known as Assamese macaque, is a macaque of the Old-World monkey family endemic to South and Southeast Asia. Assam is another state in India. Eating everything from fruits to 55 types of flowers, leaves, seeds, and bark, these macaque monkeys adapt their diet to suit their habitat.
Bengal Sacred Langur
Species Name: Semnopithecus entellusNative Countries: India,Bangladesh
The Bengal sacred langur, also known as Hanuman's langur and the northern plains gray langur, is a primate species in the Cercopithecidae family. The Bengal sacred langurs are often referred to as "Hanuman's langurs", named after Lord Hanuman - the Hindu god.
Black-footed Gray Langur
Species Name: Semnopithecus hypoleucosNative Countries: India
The black-footed gray langur is an Old-World monkey, one of the langur species. Like other gray langurs, this species is a leaf-eating monkey in southern India. The black-footed gray langur is distributed throughout southwestern India (Kerala, Karnataka, and Goa) but is concentrated in the Western Ghats.
Bonnet Macaque
Species Name: Macaca radiataNative Countries: India
The Bonnet Macaque, also called Zati, is a species of macaque native to southern India. Bonnet macaques get their common name from a unique feature: a hood-like tuft of hair that extends from the top of their head, much like a tuft of dry grass. Their marble-round eyes look out into the world with a very expressive forehead.
Capped Langur
Species Name: Trachypithecus pileatusNative Countries: Bangladesh,Bhutan,India,Myanmar
The capped langur is a type of monkey in the Cercopithecidae family. These langurs can vary in appearance. This Asian primate gets its name from the thick hairs on the top of the head, typically gray or black.
Gee’s Golden Langur
Species Name: Trachypithecus geeiNative Countries: India
Gee's golden langur, also known simply as the golden langur, is an Old-World primate found in a small area of western Assam, India, and in the nearby foothills of the Black Mountains of Bhutan. Gee's golden langur was officially discovered in 1953 by Edward Pritchard Gee, an amateur naturalist and tea planter in Assam, India.
Kashmir Gray Langur
Species Name: Semnopithecus ajaxNative Countries: India,Nepal
The Kashmir gray langur is an Old-World monkey, one of the species of langurs. The Kashmiri gray langur derives its scientific name, Semnopithecus ajax, from a character in the ancient Greek poem - The Iliad - set during the Trojan War.
Lion-Tailed Macaque
Species Name: Macaca silenusNative Countries: India
The lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus), also known as the wanderoo, is an Old World monkey native to the Western Ghats of South India. Lion-tailed macaques are diurnal and arboreal.
Nepal Gray Langur
The Nepal gray langur (Semnopithecus schistaceus) is a gray langur native to the Himalayas of Nepal, extreme southwestern Tibet, northern Pakistan, northern India, Bhutan, and possibly Afghanistan. The Nepal gray langur is both terrestrial and arboreal.
Nilgiri Langur
Species Name: Semnopithecus johniiNative Countries: India
The Nilgiri langur (Semnopithecus johnii), also called the black-leaf monkey, John's langur, and Indian hooded leaf monkey is a langur (a species of Old-World monkey) found in the Nilgiri foothills of the Western Ghats in southern India.
Northern Pig-tailed Macaque
Species Name: Macaca leoninaNative Countries: Bangladesh,Cambodia,China,India,Laos,Myanmar,Thailand,Vietnam
The northern pig-tailed macaque (Macaca leonina) is a macaque species in the Cercopithecidae family. Typical of this group of Old World monkeys, northern pig-tailed monkeys are gregarious, living in social groups of 9-81 individuals.
Phayre’s Langur
Species Name: Trachypithecus phayreiNative Countries: India,Bangladesh,Myanmar
Phayre's leaf monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei), also called the Phayre's langur, is a species of Lutung endemic to South and Southeast Asia. The name commemorates the late Sir Arthur Purves Phayre, a lieutenant general in the British Indian Army and commissioner of the entire province of former British Burma.
Rhesus Macaque
Species Name: Macaca mulattaNative Countries: India,Bangladesh,Pakistan,Nepal,Myanmar,Thailand,Afghanistan,Vietnam,China
The rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), commonly known as the rhesus monkey, is a species of Old-World monkey. Rhesus monkeys are diurnal animals, both arboreal and terrestrial.
Stump-tailed Macaque
Species Name: Macaca arctoidesNative Countries: Cambodia,China,India,Laos,Myanmar,Malaysia,Thailand,Vietnam
The stump-tailed macaque, also known as the bear macaque, is an Old World monkey endemic to Cambodia, northeastern India, southwestern China, Myanmar, and Laos, from northwestern Peninsular Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Tarai Gray Langur
Species Name: Semnopithecus hectorNative Countries: India,Bhutan,Nepal
The Tarai gray langur (Semnopithecus hector) is an Old-World monkey and was once thought to be a subspecies of the northern plains gray langur. The Latin name for Tarai gray langurs is inspired by Hector, the prince of Troy.
Tufted Gray Langur
Species Name: Semnopithecus priamNative Countries: India,Sri Lanka
The tufted gray langur (Semnopithecus priam), also called the Coromandel sacred langur and the Madras gray langur, is an Old-World monkey, one of the langur species. These langurs are generally shy and only descend when there is no visible danger.
Western Hoolock Gibbon
Species Name: Hoolock hoolockNative Countries: Bangladesh,India,Myanmar,China
are three species of primates in the Hoolock genus of the gibbon family, Hylobatidae, endemic to Myanmar, eastern Bangladesh, northeastern India, and southwestern China.
White-Cheeked Macaque
Species Name: Macaca leucogenysNative Countries: India,China
The white-cheeked macaque (Macaca leucogenys) is found only in Medog County in southeastern Tibet and the Arunachal Pradesh state of India. The species was first discovered and described by Chinese primatologists Peng-Fei Fan, Cheng Li, and Chao Zhao in the American Journal of Primatology in 2015.
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BioExplorer.net. (2024, December 21). Indian Monkeys. Bio Explorer. https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/india/.
BioExplorer.net. "Indian Monkeys" Bio Explorer, 21 December 2024, https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/india/.
BioExplorer.net. "Indian Monkeys" Bio Explorer, December 21 2024. https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/india/.
