keralawildlife tours

Lion Tailed Macaque (mecaca silenus-Sp. Auth.Linnaeus)

The lion tailed macaque is one of the most endangered species of primates in the Western Ghats. Its distribution is restricted to some pockets of evergreen forests in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Its is a terrestrial monkey, mainly arboreal, found in upper canopy of evergreen forest. The natural habitat of LTM is tropical evergreen forest. The distinguished feature is its ‘mane’ and the shape of tail like a Lion’s tail.

LTM in Valparai

Cultural Notes

The species has mentioned in travelogue of 13th century traveller called Odoric. He mentioned it as black lions of Malabar, found along pepper groves and agricultural land. An ancient mural painting in ‘Pundarikapuram Temple ‘ (14th Century painting) in Ernakulam district , Kerala, has depiction of Lion tailed macaque in a village scene.

Distribution and best places to see | Photgraph

Distribution: Lion Tailed Macaque, commonly called LTM, is a restricted species native to the rainforests of Western Ghats of India. It is listed as endangered in red list of IUCN. It is the most endangered species of Macaque in Indian subcontinent. With in Western Ghats only seven regions are identified as its present habitat from north of Nilgiris to the south tip, comprising Kerala, Karantaka and Tamil Nadu. Silent Valley National Park , Parambikulam Tiger Reserve and Periyar Tiger Reserve in Kerala, Kalakkad Sanctuary and, Anamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu , Bhramagiri – Mookambika zone of Karnataka are the important habitats of LTM.

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