Monkey in Dry Season Notebook

Monkey in Dry Season was taken during a jungle safari in Odhisha, India. It was the dry season and all the leaves of the trees were falling on the ground. Therefore the monkeys were hard to discover. This is a grey langur also called Hanuman monkey, named after the Hindu god, Hanuman. The monkeys are grey washed with buff or silvery shades. Their hands and feet are black and they have long tails for balancing on tree limbs. In India, they are found in forests but also near human habitations. The food is the only factor that makes them want to interact with human beings very closely. But opposite to other monkeys, their interaction with tourists is very friendly. I have watched the many times in India, in temples but more often in wildlife. Researchers have noted that this species will often sit next to herds of Spotted deer and notify them when a predator is approaching. Additionally, these langurs will often drop fruit from tall trees, which Spotted deer will then feed on. In return, the Spotted deer’s excellent sense of smell allows it to detect predators early on and warn the langur that something may be approaching.