In news– Sri Lanka is planning to export 1,00,000 Toque macaques monkeys to China.
About Toque macaque-
- It is a reddish-brown-coloured Old World monkey endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is known as the rilewa or rilawa (Sinhala), (hence “rillow” in the Oxford English Dictionary).
- Its name refers to the whorl of hair at the crown of the head, reminiscent of a brimless toque cap.
- As a matter of fact, their physiological characteristics vary greatly, depending on climatic conditions.
- Thus, populations in cooler climate exhibit thick, dark brown coat as well as relatively short limbs and tails. Meanwhile, those inhabiting lowland rainforests typically display reddish or golden fur and longer bonnets. Populations in drier habitats have lighter fur, noticeably longer legs and tails as well as shorter swirl of hair on their head.
- The species exhibits sexual dimorphism: males are physically larger than females, and males are fitted with larger canine teeth.
- It is classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.
Note: Sri Lanka in 2023, removed several species from its protected list, including all three of its monkey species, peacocks, grizzled giant squirrel, porcupines and wild boars.
Source: WIONEWS
