Many people think that living with monkeys in the environment must be a fun and enjoyable experience. Sometimes it is but more often it is not. In my area there are two main species of monkeys: The langurs which are pictured below and the rhesus macaques .

The langurs are a pretty peaceful bunch. They retain their wildness for the most part and even though they live with humans they are not all that curious about us. Their diet is vegetarian and they by far prefer the fresh leaves and shoots of trees, berries, seeds, fruit and nuts to human food or trash. They don’t generally bother people and are not aggressive unless directly threatened. But then watch out as they are exceedingly strong and have large canine teeth that can be nearly 2 inches long. If you encounter them keep a distance of about 3 meters (10 feet) at least and walk by as if you are ignoring them. Do not make eye contact and do not smile as baring your teeth is a sign of aggression in the monkey world. I’ve walked within 3 feet of some and even had a whole troop run right past me as I sat near their favorite pathway on a steep hill without incident. They are also called black monkeys by local people due to the color of their faces.

On the other hand the rhesus macaques are troublemakers all the time. They will come into your house and tear the place up looking for food if you leave a window open and in some areas like Shimla and even Landour Bazaar in Mussoorie they will grab a plastic bag from your hand if they suspect you have food in it. Most incidents of monkey bites and the necessary rabies shots that you need to get following one are due to the rhesus. Local people call them the red monkeys because of the color of their faces and bottoms.

If one lives in North America or anywhere else raccoons are found you know the problems they can cause in urban areas. Getting into garbage, causing property damage, fighting with and injuring household pets and the like. The rhesus macaques are very similar in behavior but on a much greater scale. And they have little fear of humans so if you try to scare them off they are likely to turn on you en mass and even though they are smaller than the langurs they can cause considerable damage. If you encounter them in a large group try to find an alternate route that will keep you out of their way. Carry your food purchases in a cloth bag or back pack. They recognize plastic bags and associate them with food. (Plastic bags are not good for the Himalayan environment anyway)

AND PLEASE DON’T FEED THE MONKEYS OR OTHER WILDLIFE IN INDIA Its bad for their health and could be bad for yours as well.

Monkeys

Monkey noticing the photographer

Monkeys These are called Langurs

Monkeys on the Roof