Macaca assamensis (McClelland, 1840)

The Assamese Macaque is the most common monkey found in Bhutan and more likely than not sightings of "monkeys" in Bhutan are of Assamese Macaque. They occur in healthy populations nationwide and some areas are considered as agricultural pests.

Size: Head and body length:44 to o 13 kg Tail: 18-39 cm; Weght: 4.6

A medium sized monkey larger than Rhesus Macaques, the most striking difference between the two species is that Assamese Macaques are uniformly brown throughout while Rhesus macaques have a reddish-orange rump area. Also, Assamese macaques have soft,short and finer fur compared to the long coarse fur on Rhesus. Assamese Macaques carry their tail parallel to the ground rather than erect as in Rhesus. Ischial callosities, the pads on the rump, are flesh colored but with no bare area around them. Males are almost twice as big as females.

Assamese monkeys live in groups of 8 to 50 individuals. Male juveniles, as they grow up, leave the group while females stay and form the core members of the group and are mostly related. Although there is an alpha male guarding the group and having preferential access to females in estrus and to food, an alpha female leads the group with regards to foraging, resting, and all other group activity. Assamese Macaques are diurnal,active during the day and also spend more time on the ground than langurs. They store food in cheek pouches.

Found throughout the country up to elevations of 2,900m. They occur as far north as Gasa (2900m). In the south they extend down to about 300m but seem to keep away from areas dominated by the Rhesus Macaque. Rhesus macaques in Bhutan are confined to the foothills whereas Assamese Macaques are found throughout Bhutan. Assamese Macaques are forest dwellers while Rhesus are found in close proximity to towns and villages.

Terrestrial

IUCN Status: Near Threatned

NT

Retaliatory killings for crop raiding in some areas.