
Above : Young adult of P. f. femoralis,
the subspecies from southern Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.
Photographed in Singapore.
Order : PRIMATES
Family : Cercopithecidae
Species : Presbytis femoralis
Head-body length : up to 59 cm
Tail length : up to 76 cm
Weight : maximum approx. 7.5 kg
References : M3, M5 |
The Banded Leaf Monkey
Presbytis femoralis inhabits primary forest, mature secondary forest or
swamp forest. It is active by day, particularly in the morning and late
afternoon, and is mainly arboreal (though in some parts of Thailand the
species is known to descend to the ground). Its diet includes new leaves,
and forest fruits.
This species is generally
shy in nature : males will quickly alert their troupe to the presence of any
threat, including the presence of humans, with a loud repetitive
''chi-chi-chi' call, and the troupe will quickly move away to a quieter
area. Troupes generally number up to 5 or 6 individuals, and adult
males may be solitary.
Their dorsal fur is dark
grey-brown to blackish, and the underside is paler. The face is darker
than most other species of leaf monkey, though the upper and lower lips are
generally pale. The inner part of the thigh is white. Babies can be locally
white or beige in colour.
The species has a disjunct
distribution and three subspecies are now recognised : P. f. femoralis
(see photos) occurs in southern Peninsular Malaysia (Johor) and
Singapore, P. f. robinsoni occurs in southern Thailand and northern
Peninsular Malaysia, and P. f. percura occurs in parts of eastern
Sumatra.
The Singapore population
of P. f. femoralis is considered to be highly endangered : based on
studies in early 2010 it is estimated there are only around 40 to 60 individuals
surviving.
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Despite being 25 metres up in the canopy, this
leaf monkey is wary of the presence of people on the forest floor.
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