Types of Thailand Monkeys and where to find them

Thailand (or the Kingdom of Thailand) is a Southeast Asian country that lies north of the equator. Agriculture and tourism both play important roles in the country’s economy.

There are 13 different species of monkeys in Thailand, but none of them are unique to the country. Many of these species are actually widespread in Southern Asia.

It’s interesting to learn that every year, thousands of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) are fed a lavish spread of fruit and vegetables at the official Monkey Buffet Festival in the Thai city of Lopburi.

There are five types of monkey living in Thailand:

1.The stump-tailed macaque.

This Asian ape migrated to eastern Bangladesh but has since vanished from that part of the country. In keeping with their moniker, stump-tailed macaques have very short (3.2 to 6.9 cm) and hairless tails. Long, sandy, dark brown hair characteristics adults.

The skin of newborns is white, but it darkens over time. The faces of the stump-tailed macaque are hairless and a vibrant pink or red.

Red fades and may become black over time and in direct sunlight. Canines in males are larger than those in females; this difference aids in establishing male superiority in social situations.

Stump-tailed macaques, like other macaques, keep food in their cheek pouches.

Stump-Tailed Macaque Facts

Baldness is a common symptom of ageing in stump-tailed macaques, just as it is in humans. Both male and female macaques experience hair loss, but it is more pronounced in the males.

The stump-tailed macaque is a primate that lives in a semi-terrestrial environment. They are clumsy climbers due to their large size and weight, so they spend most of their time on the ground.

A number of males and females from various monkey families live together in social groups of macaques. A single group might consist of anywhere from a few monkeys to sixty.

Stump-tailed macaques organize their social groups according to strict power structures. Some monkeys are higher up in the hierarchy than others, and they get special treatment because of it.

These Thailand Monkeys “coo” with one another to communicate, so even if they can’t see each other, they’ll still know that their loved ones are close by.

2. The pig tailed macaque – found mostly in South Thailand.

Pig-Tailed Macaque 

• The pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina)Thailand Monkeys is a species of macaque that lives in the southern regions of Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Rare species of the Sundaland pig-tailed macaque include the Sunda pig-tailed macaque.

• Berok is its common name in the area. Pig tailed macaques have a light brown coat and a white belly.

• In this condition, the hair on top of the head grows in a depressed pattern and is a dark brown or black color. A man’s mane is the hair that grows in a circle around his head.
• The pig-tailed macaques are distinguished by their long legs and hairless faces. These macaques, who are born black, eventually lighten up as adults. Because of sexual dimorphism, males are typically bigger than females.

Truth About Pig-Tailed Macaques

• The pig-tailed macaque got its name because of the way it looks. Macaques are commonly referred to as “pig-tailed” because to the resemblance between their short, partially erect tails and pigtails.

• Oftentimes, these Thailand Monkeys will get together in mixed-gender groups. In this culture, females are required to remain with their birth group for their entire lives.

• The gender gap in social status favors men, who occupy more senior jobs. On the other hand, numerous females of a species may band together to assault a male.

• Although they are considered diurnal, pig-tailed macaques spend just 8.4 % of their time on the floor. This species of macaque has been studied extensively, and has earned the Thailand Monkeys “quiet monkey” moniker from scientists for its stoic disposition.

Crab-eating macaque (long-tailed macaque )

Thailand Monkeys Crab-Eating Macaque 

The crab-eating macaque, or long-tailed macaque, is a species of monkey found only in Southeast Asia. It is also known as the cynomolgus monkey when kept in captivity.

Long-tailed macaques have fur that ranges in colour from a drab gray-brown to a fiery red. It’s always easier on the eyes on the underside, where these hues are lighter.

The face is a muddy brown colour, and it has grey whiskers. These Thailand Monkeys have binocular vision, with both eyes looking forward.

Crab-eating macaques have shovel-shaped incisors, prominent canines, and bilophodont molars, as well as a flatter nose and narrower nostrils.

The 50-60 cm long tail can be either gray-brown or reddish in colour. Male and female crab-eating macaques are a different size and that’s normal for Thailand Monkeys.

Males typically weigh in at 4.8–7 kg, while females weigh in at 3–4 kg, or about 69% of the male average.

The Thailand Monkeys Crab-Eating Macaque Facts

• Crab-eating macaque macaques typically have groups of around 30 members, all males.

• All primates, including humans, have a long period of dependence as children. Females are responsible for the majority of raising a young population.

• Although males of this species are known to be aggressive toward one another, this species is notable for the relative lack of aggression between groups.

• Males in any given group will quickly establish a linear dominance structure. The factors of stature, age, and fighting prowess all factor into this established order.

• The ability of these macaques to exhibit cultural or learned behaviours sets them apart from all other nonhuman primates. Crab-eating macaques have been observed engaging in this cultural practise while preparing their meals.

The Thailand Monkeys Assam macaque

Assam Macaque Characteristics

In South and Southeast Asia, you can only find the Assam macaque, also known as the Assamese macaque, a member of the Old World monkey family. Besides the rest of India, there is also the state of Assam.

Because of their red skin, adults often appear to have a purplish cast to their otherwise hairless faces. The eyes of an Assamese monkey are either yellow or a pale green. The colours of their coat can range from yellow to red to light grey to dark brown. The fur on their bellies and bibs is sometimes white.

Some of them even have a middle part in their hair! They’re capable of more nuanced expressions than most A-list actors.

Assam Macaque Facts

• These macaque monkeys tailor their diet to their environment, eating anything from fruit to 55 different kinds of flowers, leaves, seeds, and bark.

• As with other macaque species, Assam macaques are equipped with cheek pouches that allow them to store food until later consumption.

• Although these Assam monkeys prefer to spend their time in the trees, they are fully capable of moving around on the ground by reverting to their “four-legged” form.

• Matrilineality characterises the social structure of all macaques throughout their evolutionary history.

• The Assam macaque, like other macaques, uses a wide variety of calls. They use distinct vocalisations to communicate with one another within and between species, announce the weaning of young, express anger or playfulness, and express a wide range of other feelings.

The rhesus macaque

Rhesus Macaque Characteristics Thailand Monkeys

The rhesus monkey, or rhesus macaque, is a species of Old-World monkey. Its scientific name is Macaca mulatta.

Six to nine recognized subspecies can be broken down into two groups: those that are native to China and those that are native to India.

The rhesus Thailand Monkeys can be either brown or grey, and it has a fur less pink face. On the whole, it has 50 vertebrae and a fairly sizable chest.

Between 20.7 and 22.9 cm is the typical length of its tail (8.1 and 9.0 in). Average height and weight for adult males is about 53 cm (21 in) and 7.7 kg (17 lb).

Females are shorter and lighter than males, measuring in at a mean 19 inches (47 cm) and 12 pounds (5.3 kg).

In a normal distribution, 89.6 to 94.3% of total body length is devoted to the ratio of upper- to lower-body dimensions.

Rhesus Macaque Facts

• Rhesus Thailand Monkeys are both arboreal and terrestrial, so they are active during the day.

• They walk on all fours, but their feet are digitigrade and plantigrade when they’re on the ground.

• Rhesus monkeys are constantly moving and making noise. They are skilled swimmers who enjoy spending time in the water.

• They live in more different environments than any other non-human primate, from grasslands to arid, forested areas and even close to human settlements.

• Rhesus macaques, like other macaques, tend to congregate in large groups of 20–200 individuals. A woman’s social standing is based on her mother’s position within the group, a system known as matrilineality.

Can You Trust Thailand Monkeys?

Although the crab-eating macaque is a lot of fun to watch, even the youngest of them can bite if they feel threatened. You don’t need to panic if a monkey comes close to you, but you need to avoid showing fear, or getting into a tug-of-war if one of them grabs onto your belongings. 

Showing your teeth when smiling at these primates can be misconstrued as an aggressive move. Although a huge annual banquet is held for monkeys in Lopburi, Thai authorities discourage people from feeding them.  Check out all the videos on Thailand Monkeys around Thailand and how they being naughty sometimes.

Conclusion:

Thailand Monkeys are renowned for their cleverness. The crab-eating macaque has been witnessed using tools, and they regularly use the train system in Thailand to move from one area of the country to another. Monkeys are social animals that form groups called troupes, and when one of these groups invades another’s territory, tensions rise quickly. Check out other animals in Thailand on our blog.