Kalyan Varma

The Knights of Western Ghats


Canopy of Western ghats

The rainforests of Western Ghats are home to some of the most wonderful creatures which are found only in these forests and no where else on the earth

Lion-tailed macaque

The Lion-tailed Macaque Macaca silenus is the symbol of this endemic diversity of this biodiversity hotspot. Less than 4000 of these survive today making it one of the most endangered primates in the world

Lion-tailed macaque feeding on jackfruit

Since these primates have evolved in the rainforests, they have very simple stomachs which can easily digest fruits, seeds and insects. This adaptation has helped them be a habitat specialist of the tropical rainforest, where these are available throughout the year.

Nilgiri Langur

The other endemic primate is the Nilgiri Langur which is a purely leaf-eating primate. They do not compete with each other directly.

Lion-tailed macaques fighting

Good fruiting trees are of great demand and sometimes rival groups fight with one another to have rights over these trees. Its usually the alpha male of the group that engages in these fights, though other monkeys do join at times

Lion-tailed macaque giving a threat display

Males have canines, though mostly just to show them off to rival males. These large canines come in use when the macaques feast on fruits like jackfruits and Cullenia

Indian giant squirrel

Being more of a meat-eating than other macaques of the world, the Lion-tailed Macaque sometimes hunt and feed on young ones of giant and flying squirrels.

Cullenia fruit

Cullenia is one of the keystone species of the Western Ghats. Their flowers and fruits serve as food for many of the rainforest species including the Lion-tailed Macaque.

Lion-tailed macaque

Being macaques, they tend to explore a lot and sometimes discover easy ways of finding food.

Lion-tailed macaque crossing the road

A lot of roads go through these forests breaking them into isolated fragments. These primates which very rarely step on the ground in undisturbed forests, are now forced to come down to cross these broken canopies. About 25% of the Lion-tailed Macaques are found in small isolated forest fragments.

Lion-tailed macaque roadkill

This often leads to tragic consequences further affecting populations of this endangered species.

Lion-tailed macaque with young one

The reproduction cycles of these macaques are very slow. A female gives birth only once in three years and only the dominant female gives birth. Because of low birth rate and high age at first birth, it gives very little chance for these populations to bounce back.

Lion-tailed macaque fetus

The reproduction cycles of these macaques are very slow. A female gives birth only once in three years and only the dominant female gives birth. Because of low birth rate and high age at first birth, it gives very little chance for these populations to bounce back.

Lion-tailed macaque

In 2008, a healthy population of 32 groups of these macaques were found in central Karnataka giving hope to the future of these Knights of the Western Ghats.



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