Monkeys are a very common sight in Sri Lanka. Even if you were in the urban city of Colombo, there is still a good chance that you might encounter mischievous creatures who put Curious George to shame! But, the Purple-Faced Langur is no ordinary monkey. An endangered species that are endemic to the island of Sri Lanka, these monkeys are shy, rarely spotted and are an absolute thrill to observe.
Scientific Classification:
The Purple-faced Langur (Trachypithecus vetulus), also known as the Purple-faced leaf monkey, is a long-tailed arboreal monkey endemic to Sri Lanka. They are an Old World Monkey in the Cercopithecidae family, belonging to the Colobinae subfamily.
Subspecies:
There are four subspecies of the Purple-Faced Langur in Sri Lanka.
The Southern Lowland Wetzone Purple-Faced Langur (Semnopithecus vetulus vetulus) has a black upper torso, light brown cap, and a well-defined silvery rump patch that extends to legs with prominent white whiskers. Their tail is also white.
Western Purple-Faced Langur/North Lowland Wetzone Purple-Faced Langur (Semnopithecus vetulus nestor) is the smallest of all subspecies and has a dark greyish upper torso with a light grayish brown rump patch, dark brown legs and a white cap.
Dryzone Purple-Faced Langur (Semnopithecus vetulus philbricki) is the largest among the subspecies. They have a grayish brown torso, an ill-defined grayish rump patch and a dark cap, with white cheeks. They are known for their exceptionally long slimy tail.
Montane Purple-Faced Langur or Bear Monkey (Semnopithecus vetulus monticola) has a dark grey brown coat. They are large monkeys with long and shaggy fur that they have adapted due to the cold climate of their habitat.
Characteristics:
The colour of their coat varies with the each subspecies, but is generally brownish-black on the body and limbs, whilst the facial whiskers range in colours, from white to pale brown and are directed backwards. Newborns, by contrast, possess a pale grey coat, with a brownish tinge on the crown, chest, arms and legs. Their face is dark grey, despite what their name suggests.
Behaviour:
The Purple-faced Langur is a folivorous species, but has also been known to eat fruit, flowers and seeds. This species prefers immature leaves because they are high in protein and low in lignin.
They are seen in groups that resemble a harem, meaning one male monkey would have multiple partners. They will also form bachelor groups that consist of male monkeys alone. The Purple-Faced Langur communicates in one of three ways: harsh barks, whoops, and residuals.
Habitat:
Habitat varies with the subspecies, but they often inhabit areas near permanent water sources. Preferred habitats include tropical rainforest, dry evergreen forests and mature secondary, semi-deciduous and undisturbed cloud forests. You might be able to spot one if you take a trek in Sinharaja Rainforest.
Images sourced from James Harris and Gail Hampshire.
