Rare primate

THE Phayrei's Leaf Monkey (Presbyties Pharei Blyth) is a primate restricted in its distribution to Tripura. In his Primates Of Bangladesh (1978), Green has reported its presence in a few areas of Bangladesh adjacent to Tripura. This may be because of the continuous stretch of forests in the Chittagong hill tracts and Sylhet district.

The Leaf Monkey has a dusky grey coat with a golden or pale buff on its back. The head is the same colour. A well defined crest adorns the head. The whiskers are long and partially conceal the ears. Areas around the eyes are just bare skin and milky white. The lips are of the some colour and studded with sparse white hair. Fur on the ventral side is silver white and the fore and hind limbs are of the same colour as that of the body except for a black dorsum of the front and rear limbs. The tail is paler than the body and has a tuft of blackish brown hair at the tip. The animal can be easily recognised from a distance by the colour around its eyes and lips. It is also known as the Chasma Bandar or the Optic monkey.

The monkey is also found in bamboo forests and in rubber plantations. The species of trees in which the monkeys are found are Albizzia procera, Albizzia stipulata, Artocarpus chaplasha, Bursera serrate, Carey arborea, and Vites species.

The total population of this species is reportedly about 400, in 36 groups. Both sexes are found in the groups, females outnumber males. However, one group was found to comprise seven males.

The species feeds almost entirely on leaves, an activity that begins after dawn. During feeding the group remains on the same tree for a long period or frequently moves from tree to tree.

During the rainy season there is a slowdown in feeding and other activities. The monkeys has never been observed to invade fields unlike the rhesus monkey which feeds exclusively on paddy.

The feeding activities of the leaf monkey are restricted very much to the upper and middle storey of the forests. It appears that its water requirements are met from the water content of the food that it eats. It has been seen licking water from the leaves collected from rain or dew. It is also found to lick water on its coat after rain.

To protect this species, the Government of Tripura has notified two wildlife sanctuaries, the Sepahijala wildlife sanctuary in the Sadar sub-division of West Tripura district and the Trishna wildlife sanctuary in South Tripura district. The species can be seen at Tripura's Sepahijala zoo. It does not breed frequently in captivity.

The Postal Department has brought out a first day cover on this monkey.

ANIL BHATTARCHARJEE

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Features
Previous : By the Amaravathi