About Phayre's Leaf Monkey:
- Phayre's Leaf monkey (Trachypithecus phayrei) is a species of Old World monkey which is diurnal and arboreal.
- Habitat: It inhabits tropical, deciduous, and evergreen forests and can also be seen in bamboo clusters and rubber plantations.
- Distribution: It is found in North-East India (mainly found in Tripura, Assam and Mizoram), Eastern Bangladesh, and Western Myanmar.
- Diet: It feeds primarily on young leaves, shoots, and flowers, occasionally consuming fruits and seeds.
- Behavior: Phayre's leaf monkeys are very shy and typically flee when threatened. They spend over 75% of their time feeding within tree tops.
- It’s specialised multi-chambered stomach enables it to digest fibrous leaves efficiently, contributing to nutrient cycling and seed dispersal in the ecosystem.
- Threats: Habitat loss, forest fragmentation and hunting.
- Conservation Status:
- IUCN Red List: Endangered
- CITES: Appendix II
