• Scientific Name: Macaca silenus
• Also known as: Lion-tailed macaque, Wanderoo, Bearded Monkey
• Has black fur with a distinctive gray or silver mane around the face (in both sexes), often referred to as the “beard ape.”
• Threats: Habitat loss, hunting, and wood harvesting
• Significance: Indicator of rainforest health and an umbrella species for conserving other wildlife in its region.

• Endemic to the Western Ghats in India (states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu). 
• Primarily tropical evergreen rainforests, but they are also found in monsoon forests.

• Shy and Avoidant: Unlike other macaques, they tend to avoid humans when possible.
• Arboreal and Diurnal: Spend most of their time in trees and are active during daylight.
• Communication: Possess up to 17 vocalizations; males define territory boundaries through calls. 
• Diet: Primarily frugivorous, but also consume leaves, stems, flowers, buds, fungi, and occasionally small animals.

• IUCN: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (India): Schedule I

(Estimated 4,200 individuals remaining)

PYQ:

[2013] In which of the following States is lion-tailed macaque found in its natural habitat?

1. Tamil Nadu

2. Kerala

3. Karnataka

4. Andhra Pradesh

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1, 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4