Capped Lutung (Trachypithecus pileatus) lives in tropical rainforest across Southeast Asia. It feeds on leaves and fruits. Its conservation status is Vulnerable.
Fascinating facts about the Capped Lutung
- In Bangladesh's Sylhet region, capped langurs occasionally join troops of hoolock gibbons beneath the evergreen canopies that Khasi communities protect for betel leaf agroforestry. These forests cover at least 239 hectares (590 acres) of mixed native trees, providing the arboreal pathways the langurs need to move and feed. The Khasis' practice of preserving a support tree every three cubits creates a living scaffold that sustains both their crops and the primates, illustrating how indigenous land-use can directly benefit wildlife.
- Capped langurs were first described by Edward Blyth in 1843, anchoring their scientific identity over 180 years ago. Today, taxonomists recognize four subspecies, T. p. pileatus, T. p. durga, T. p. brahma, and T. p. tenebricus.
- In Arunachal Pradesh, capped langurs devote nearly 40% of their daylight hours to munching on leaves, flowers and fruits, with leaves alone making up about 60% of what they eat. They pull nutrients from as many as 43 different plant species.
- The capped langur's home range stretches across the dry forests of northeast India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, tying the species to a swath of habitat that spans four countries.
- A 2013 study of Khasi betel-leaf agroforests recorded 86 different support-tree species. When climate shifts push monsoon rains earlier, from June to April or May, and raise local temperatures by 0.0124 °C.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSoutheast Asia
HabitatTropical rainforest
DietLeaves and fruits
About the Capped Lutung
In the lush canopies of Southeast Asia's tropical forests, the capped lutung moves with a quiet elegance, its slender frame gliding effortlessly through the trees as it forages for leaves and fruits. With its distinctive crown of dark fur, this langur's stately demeanor belies a nimble agility, as it leaps from branch to branch with the precision of a seasoned acrobat. As it navigates its threatened habitat, the capped lutung's very existence serves as a poignant reminder of the beauty and fragility of the natural world.
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