This is a toque macaque showing off its funny looking hair

Today I want to write about a strange looking monkey called the toque macaque.

Here are five interesting facts about them:

1. These small monkeys grow to about 53 cm long, with a tail that is even longer.  Males are slightly larger than females.
2. They get their name from their funny looking hair on top of their heads which looks like a brimless hat called a toque.
3. Toque macaques eat a wide range of food, including fruit, leaves, crops and insects.  They have a strange habit of stuffing food in their cheeks to be eaten later.
4. They live in groups of about 20-25.  The groups have a strict hierarchy, with higher ranking monkeys getting the best feeding spots.  When the groups get too big, they argue a lot until some monkeys leave the group to start heir own.
5. Toque macaques are only found on the island of Sri Lanka and they are considered endangered due to habitat loss and poaching.

I hope that you found these facts interesting and learned something new.

Are there any other interesting facts that you would like to share about toque macaques?

Similar species:

Japanese Macaque