Bonnet Macaque

Description:

Males 5.5 kg to 9 kg, Females 3.5 kg to 4.5 kg; Bonnet macaques are endemic to southern India. Highly sociable animals usually in groups comprising of males and females. Groups are sometimes as large as 40 members but often a dozen or so. Very territorial creatures. They have a coil of hair resembling a hat which gives them the 'Bonnet' moniker.

Habitat:

These old-world monkeys are highly adaptable. This spotting was made in forests that are almost completely 'foreign' to them evolutionarily - a dense mixture of eucalyptus and wattle (acacia) imported by the British from Australia. Approximately 2200 metres above sea-level. Distribution is limited by the Indian Ocean on three sides and the Godavari and Tapti Rivers.

Notes:

Also known as Shiva Kumar... Being Australian it is always strange to see monkeys swinging through wattle and eucalyptus forests.