10 Places to See Lion Tailed Macaque in Western Ghats
Lion Tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus) or simply wanderoo is a black old world monkey with silver white mane and looks like a Lion by its mane and tail. The wanderoo macaque is a diurnal rainforest dweller, Endangered and Endemic to the Western Ghats of South India.
Best National Park and Wildlife Sanctuaries to spot Lion Tailed Macaque in South India also include Anaimalai Hills,Valparai hill station, Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve, Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary, Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary and Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Western Ghats.
Silent Valley National Park, Kerala
Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad district of Kerala is the core area of Nilgiri International Biosphere Reserve and second largest national park in Kerala. The park has largest population of lion tailed macaques in South India and other threatened species of mammals at Silent Valley also include Niligiri langur and Nilgiri tahr.
Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu
Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli District is the second largest park in Tamil Nadu state and part of Agastya Mala hills. KMTR is five centres of biodiversity and endemism in India and home to 37 lion-tailed macaque, 61 Nilgiri langur and also best place to spot Nilgiri tahr in South India.
Sharavati Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka
Sharavati Valley Wildlife Sanctuary is a river basin and has dense evergreen rainforest in Karnataka. The river valley has rich biodiversity and is a refuge of the endangered lion-tailed macaque, Great Indian hornbill and Indian lories and lorikeets.
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, Kerala
Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Palakkad district of Kerala is home of four different tribes as well as has a rich diversity of animal life. Important mammals of Parambikulam sanctuary are elephants, lion-tailed macaques and Nilgiri tahr.
Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu
Anamalai Tiger Reserve was known as Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, located in the Anaimalai Hills. The Anaimalai Wildlife Sanctuary and its six administrative ranges and peaks are home to many threatened and endangered species of mammals including Bengal tiger,wild dog,Nilgiri tahr and lion-tailed macaque.
Periyar National Park, Kerala
Periyar National Park near Thekkady is must visit place in Kerala and home to many threatened species. The park is an important tiger and elephant reserve of India with few of white tigers, Lion tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur,Nilgiri tahr,Indian elephant and Indian bisons.
Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka
Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kodagu district of Karnataka is a semi evergreen grasslands forest. The sanctuary around Brahmagiri Hills has a lot of unique wildlife and home to lion-tailed macaque, Malabar pit viper,gaur,Nilgiri marten and Nilgiri langur.
Pampadum Shola National Park, Kerala
Pampadum Shola National Park is the smallest national park in Kerala. The keystone species of National Park are lion tailed macaque, gaur,Nilgiri langurs,Nilgiri marten,Leopards and Indian wild dog.
Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka
Shettihalli Wildlife Sanctuary in Shimoga district of Karnataka is heaven for Lion Tailed Macaque in Western Ghats. The rainforest is spread over 395 km and home to variety of mammal species inclduing King Cobra and Lion Tailed Macaque.
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, South India
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is a part of the Western Ghats range and a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2012. Nilgiris Reserve is India’s first biosphere reserves having very rich flora and fauna, The reserve host largest population of endangered lion tailed macaque, nilgiri tahr and Vulnerable Nilgiri langur.
– Nilgiri Langur
Nilgiri Langur also known as Indian Hooded Leaf Monkey is another species of old world monkey, found in the Nilgiri Hills of the Western Ghats in South India. This primate also has glossy black fur as Lion Tailed Macaque but larger then in size with a long tail like gray langurs. Nilgiri Langur is alutung and found in Kodagu region of Karnataka,hilly areas in Kerala, Kodayar Hills in Tamil Nadu and in Nilgiri Hills Biosphere Reserve.
