He Asian langurs belong to the family Cercopithecidae and subfamily Colobinae, or leaf-eating monkeys. The other major group in the subfamily colobinae are the African colobus monkeys, which share similar diets but are found only in Africa. The best known Asian leaf-eating monkey species is probably the Hanuman Langur, considered sacred by the Hindus of India. With long strong limbs, the Hanuman Langur runs fast on the ground on all fours, and climbs well and is agile among trees, its long thin tail providing balance. Their horizontal leaps average 3-5m but can reach up to 13m with some loss of height. But it is more nervous on the ground, and will flee to the trees when in danger. They usually only move on the ground when trees are scarce. They forage during the morning and late afternoon. The troop returns to the same sleeping tree every night. They sleep at the ends of branches, where it`s hard for a large predator to get at them. Sometimes, they sleep in caves. All members of a group join in a booming whoop in the morning, helping to space the groups apart in the dense canopy. They also whoop when they`re happy.
|
