Wild Assam Macaques seen in Sikkim - near threatened species

From the archive record

Wild Assam Macaques seen in Sikkim - near threatened species. The Assam macaque (Macaca assamensis) is a macaque of the Old World monkey family native to South and Southeast Asia. Since 2008, the species is listed as Near Threatened by IUCN, as it is experiencing significant declines due to hunting, habitat degradation and fragmentation. The Assam macaque has yellowish-grey to dark brown pelage. The facial skin is dark brownish to purplish. The head has a dark fringe of hair on the cheeks directed backwards to the ears. The hair on the crown is parted in the middle. Shoulders, head and arms tend to be paler than hindquarters, which are greyish. The tail is well-haired and short. Head-to-body-length measures 51 to 73.5 cm (20 to 28.9 in) with a 15 to 30 cm (5.9 to 12 in) long tail. Adult we