India is generally a nature worshipping country, as cultural practises suggest. Modern economic development has ensured that this sentiment falls by the wayside. However, it is interesting to know the cultural references – which are many and very fascinating to learn about.
Various species of trees or mammals, especially in both Hindu as well as the various Tribal societies, are apotheosized :
From the God of Bees and Wasps : Bhramari, to the Tiger deity Waghoba who are worshipped by indigenous communities as protectors of their lands and their livelihood.
The Monkey God Hanuman plays a huge role in the epic Ramayana as the protector of Ram and Sita from the evil clutches of Ravan who dwells in Lanka. Monkeys are generally still worshipped in India across cultures and not harmed when they cross paths with humans in conflict situations.
This barely touches the widespread topic that is animal and nature worship in India ; there is a lot to mention about the same and we will do that in subsequent blogs on Indian Wildlife.
Monkeys are the most entertaining to watch on safaris in India. Witness a bit of Monkey Business while traveling through the Indian Jungles ; langurs especially offer interesting and hilarious insights into their lives..
India’s rich wilderness has a healthy primate population and a unique diaspora of primates that occur in various habitats. On safaris, they are probably the most entertaining and active species whose behaviour invokes an understanding of what homo sapiens’ life had been epochs ago.
How many Primate Species occur in India : 22 species
Biggest Primate of India : Himalayan Gray Langur
Smallest Primate of India : Slender Loris
Most Endangered Primate of India : Hoolock Gibbon
Most Common Monkeys of India : Rhesus Macaque and Bonnet Macaque
Endemic Monkeys of India: Lion Tailed Macaque, Nilgiri Langur, and Bonnet Macaque
Only Ape Species' in India : Western Hoolock Gibbon and Eastern Hoolock Gibbon
Let us take a look at the best places to see the various Monkey Species on Safari in India:-
One can see monkeys in almost every habitat in India except for the desert, we are highlighting some interesting places where we can observe some rare species on a wildlife tour of India :
1. Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary, Assam :
It gets its name from the many Hoollong Trees(Dipterocarpus retusus) that extend high into the canopy, and the Western Hoolock Gibbons that find sanctuary in these forests. Located at Jorhat in Assam, the forests of Hoollongapar once extended hundreds of kilometres to Nagaland. Now fragmented by various tea estates, roads, and villages therein, Hoollongapar stands at 21 sq.km of pristine forest.
The Western Hoolock Gibbon is a species unique to North-eastern India ; males and young ones are black whereas adult females are off-white in colour. They are a treat to hear and see in their habitat.
The Gibbon Sanctuary is a paradise for primates amongst other animals and one has a chance of seeing 7 out of 9 primate species that are found in North East India :
· Western Hoolock Gibbon
· Stump Tailed Macaque
· Pig-tailed Macaque
· Assamese Macaque
· Capped Langur
· Rhesus Macaque
· Slow Loris
Indian Elephants, Leopard, Barking Deer, and numerous Birds also occur here at Hoollongapar where one has to take a walking safari to enjoy this extremely special safari destination in India.
The feeling when the jungle rings out with the Hoollock Gibbon’s call is an unexplainable source of joy and wonder, may their tribe increase.
One can find large troupes of these unique monkeys while walking at Hoollongapar. The feel of the forest does remind one of the amazon and the biodiversity certainly adds to the fervour of Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary.
2. Valparai, Tamil Nadu :
A hill station situated at 1100 metres from sea level, this town is situated in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve – a biodiversity haven in the Western Ghats of South India. Here, you can observe large troupes of the beautiful Lion Tailed Macaque. They especially gather to feed on the jackfruit that grow wild here. Truly an amazing sight to see these endemic monkeys of India.
Not the "Lion-maned Macaque", it is this monkeys' unique tail that lends the Lion-tailed Macaque its name.
Not just the Lion Tailed Macaques, Nilgiri Langur can also be seen at Valparai. These can be seen on the treetops foraging on leaves and flowers. They are endemic to Southern India.
The Nilgiri Langur are similarly coloured to the Lion-tailed Macaques. These jewels are endemic to the Western Ghats and The Nilgiris of South India.
The Nilgiri Langur and the Lion Tailed Macaque are endemic to South India, namely the Western Ghats. These beautiful animals are a treat to see ; sadly, however, their habitat is fast getting destroyed due to inconsiderate development plans in India and their safe havens are constantly under threat through expansion of Tea estates. Both these species can be seen while driving or when walking through the Ghats at Valparai or around the various Tea estates. Be careful though, as Elephants and Gaur also pass through these areas.
3. Manas National Park, Assam :
Manas National Park is unique landscape, rich in in biodiversity, that has suffered at the hands of disagreements between the State government and the people of Assam. Militant insurgency had caused this national treasure to fall by the wayside through the 1980’s and 1990’s, with insurgents occupying the forests of Manas. Animals were poached, and large parts of the forest were cleared during this period. Agreements have been reached since 2003, and now the forest has been peacefully rejuvenating.
From virtually nil large animals due to this occupation, today this grand landscape, that extends into Bhutan, has around 50 Asiatic One Horned Rhinos and around 50 Royal Bengal Tigers. Asiatic Water Buffalo, Indian Elephants, Swamp Deer, and a huge host of birds are thriving in the park. Kokilabari at Assam is also the best place to see the critically endangered Bengal Florican in India today.
One of the most amazing aspects is the community based conservation that has been practiced at
Kakoijana Reserve Forest at Manas : This is the best and probably the only place to see the Golden Langur or Gee’s Golden Langur in the wild. 28 villages have joined in to protect this 18 sq.km of land that hosts these magnificient monkeys.
From the 1960’s the population of Golden Langur has risen from less than 100, to about 500 today. A large part of this involved increasing the canopy and converting barren land to forests. The forests have been rejuvenated and a huge host of other wildlife survives here.
The Golden Langur is one of India's most endangered primate species. Photo Credit : Amartyabag at English Wikipedia.
The beautiful Manas landscape is home to 3 beautiful primate species :
· Golden Langur
· Capped Langur
· Slow Loris
The Golden Langur is endemic to the forests of Manas and can only be found in Bhutan and Assam. To see these animals on safari is a privilege. India’s forests are more than just tigers and there is so much wildlife and so many landscapes to witness on safari in India.
The Capped Langur occurs in North-eastern India. The beautiful orange hues on its face and its enormous tail characterise this species. Kaziranga National Park and Hoollongapar Gibbon Sanctuary are the best places to find the capped langur.