Did you know that maroon leaf monkeys live only in the southeast Asian island of Borneo and the nearby smaller Karimata? They’re also known as “the monkey with the red face.”
There are many fun facts about these little guys. In fact, here are some interesting facts about maroon leaf monkeys. Read them and learn something new!
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Maroon Leaf Monkey Facts for Kids
- Maroon leaf monkeys are found in Asia
- Maroon leaf monkeys are herbivores
- They eat fruits, seeds, and leaves
- They weigh about 5.8 KG
- Maroon leaf monkeys live up to 20 years
Habits and Lifestyle
Almost all of their time is spent in trees, rarely coming down to earth. They are social creatures and live in groups of 2-13 individuals. A dominant male leads each group.
These monkeys are territorial and chase away intruders within their home range. Males produce these loud calls to claim their territory and warn rivals away. They are active during the day and spend most of their time eating and resting.
Diet
They eat fruits, seeds, young leaves, and flowers. If food becomes scarce, they’ll feed on certain types of plants or seeds during times of abundance.
What type of animal is a maroon leaf monkey?
A member of the primate family Macaca genus, the maroon leaf monkey, is native to Southeast Asia. They’re also classified as Old World monkeys, known by various names, including red leaf monkey, red longhair macaque, and maroon langurs.
What class of animal does a maroon leaf monkey belong to?
The maroon leaf macaque belongs to the order Primates, which includes other primates like langurs.
How many maroon leaf monkeys are there in the world?
There isn’t any evidence showing that the population of maroon leaf monkeys is increasing. However, some evidence shows that their numbers have declined, so they’re now considered vulnerable.
Due to habitat loss and being hunted, their numbers are declining. Their habitat destruction is caused by logging, mining, agriculture, and human settlements.
Where does a maroon leaf monkey live?
The red leaf monkey (Macaca fascicularis) is an Old World monkey found throughout Southeast Asia. It is one of two species of macaque monkeys native to Indonesia and Malaysia. They are omnivorous primates that feed mainly on fruit, leaves, flowers, and insects.
The red leaf monkey lives in groups called troops, each troop consisting of about 20 individuals. Troops live together year-round in large territories ranging from 5–20 square kilometers.
What is a maroon leaf monkey’s habitat?
Maroon-leaf monkey monkeys live in tropical rainforests, where they eat fruit and tree leaves. They’re usually found in groups of up to 30 individuals.
Some common habitats also include primary and secondary lowland forests, and you’ll also find them in swamp forests.
Who does a maroon leaf monkey live with?
Like other primates, red leaf monkeys also live together in groups. A group normally consists of between 2 and 13 members, most of whom are males. Males can be very aggressive towards each other, and if one intrudes upon another’s territory, they may fight. When a group breaks up, it typically does so into smaller units. During the day, a group is often divided into two or more sub-groups.
How long does a maroon leaf monkey live?
They can live up to 20 years in the wild, but scientists think their life expectancy has declined due to deforestation.
How do they reproduce?
These monkeys have a monogamous mating system, so a pair usually consists of a male and a female who mate together throughout their lives. A group usually contains only one adult male and multiple adult females. Each female usually bears one baby every year.
The young males stay with the group until they reach sexual maturity, after which they leave to join another group. They often travel great distances between groups. Reaching sexual maturity may take up to two years.
What is their conservation status?
Because of their small population size, the International Union for Conservation of Natural Resources (IUCN) considers them vulnerable.
What does the maroon leaf monkey look like?
The maroon leaf monkey is known for having an unusual appearance due to its red hair covering its entire body. Its arms and legs are also covered in hair.
These monkeys can leap quite high into the air. They have small faces and large jaws. Their thumbs are not very big compared to other primates.
How do they communicate?
The primary way of communicating for a group of maroons is through calls. The leader of the pack is especially known for a very loud call that is used as a warning against intruders.
Other than those, these monkeys also participate through touch. The pack also uses grooming to keep the bonds strong among themselves.
How big is a maroon leaf monkey?
Langurs have an average head-body length of between 16-22 inches (40.6- 55.8 centimeters), whereas colobuses have an average body length of up to 30 inches (76.2 centimeters)
How fast can a maroon leaf monkey move?
We don’t know how fast the red leaf monkey moves through the forests, but we can see it move at various speeds.
How much does a maroon leaf monkey weigh?
On average, the weight of a maroon leaf monkey is around 5.9-6.7 kilograms.
What are the male and female names of the species?
Males and females of the marron langurs share the same name.
What would you call a baby maroon leaf monkey?
An infant monkey is called a baby maroon or red lemur.
What do they eat?
As a herbivore species, the maroon leaf monkey diet consists of young leaves, seeds, fruits, and flowers that naturally grow in the forest and its native habitat.
During the rainy season (from June to September), they feed mostly on seeds. It is an arboreal species, meaning they spend most of their time in the treetops. They’re usually found moving between trees instead of on the ground.
Are they dangerous?
They are not dangerous to humans, and the fact they are herbivores makes them less likely to be aggressive towards other animals. However, they are still wild animals and should be treated with respect.
The maroon leaf monkey’s defense
The foremost way of defense for the maroon-leaf Monkey is by making a loud sound to the male member and letting its family members know about the threat. Along with letting its relatives know about the danger, the call also lets the intruder know that the area belongs to somebody else.
As most of those monkeys have a uni male social structure, this works as a good maroon leaf monkey weapon and defense. Sometimes, this species of monkeys may also pick up a fight against intruders.
