Environment & Ecology
Context: According to new studies, differences in altitude make a primate species in the same Himalayan habitat choose between flowers and fruits as food options beyond their staple menu of leaves.
About Himalayan Grey Langur:
- The Himalayan Gray Langur or the Chamba Sacred Langur ( Semnopithecus ajax) is a colobine, meaning leaf-eating monkey.
- It is considered an endangered species globally.
- The Himalayan Gray Langur was once considered a sub-species of the Semnopithecus entellus, commonly known as the Bengal Sacred Langur or Hanuman Langur, but it was separated as a species in 2005.
- In India, most langurs comes under the genus Semnopithecus.
- Prior to 2001, Semnopithecus entellus (Hanuman Langur) was considered only one species, with several subspecies.
- It was in 2001 that these subspecies were recommended as separate species under the genus Semnopithecus.
- Accordingly, seven different species have been recognised which include Semnopithecus ajax.
- In the Indian Subcontinent, their distribution is reported from Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and from Pakistan and Nepal.
- S ajax is an endangered species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List but after reassessment in 2004, it was re-designated as ‘Critically Endangered’.
- It is considered endangered due to its restricted range habitat.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
Q.1) With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements:
- The leader of an elephant group is a female
- The maximum gestation period can be 22 months
- An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only
- Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (2020)
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 4 only
- 3 only
- 1, 3 and 4 only
