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Appearance
The Long-tailed macaque has an extremely long tail, the tail is longer than its height from its head to bottom. It is a primate that has a “pinkish-brown face and white spaces on its eyelids, near the nose.” An interesting characteristic of this species is the “crest on the head top, formed by the hairs on the head, sweeping back over the forehead.” Male Long-tailed macaques have mustaches and cheek whiskers around their faces, while females, have beards and cheek whiskers.
Geography
They are found throughout south-eastern Asia. “Their range extends from the southeastern tip of Bangladesh southwards to Malaysia and the Maritime Southeast Asia islands (including Sumatra, Java and Borneo), offshore islands, the Philippines as well as the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.” This species enjoys staying in disturbed areas and forest periphery. However, they live in different habitats from “primary lowland rainforests and disturbed, secondary rainforests to shrubland, riverine and coastal forests of nipa palm, mangroves and even human settlements.”
Habits and Lifestyle
“These primates are diurnal and highly social creatures, forming groups of 1 or more males as well as 3 - 20 females with their young.” The females are the mature ones of the group and they stay with their young. The females also commonly practice mutual grooming, where lower-ranking individuals groom higher-ranking ones, due to which the former avoid intimidation, get support during conflicts as well as access to limited resources of the group. Once the males reach maturity they disperse and have multiple families, living as bachelors. The males “live in a well-defined linear hierarchy system, where individuals are ranked depending on age, size, and fighting skills.”
Diet & nutrition
The Long-tailed macaques are omnivorous primates, which means they consume food of both plants and animals. They like to eat “fruits, crabs, flowers, leaves, fungi, grasses and clay, supplementing this diet with various insects.”
