Bonnet macaque

The bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata), known locally as the zati, is a macaque endemic to southern India. It lives on the peninsula south of the Godavari and Tapti rivers, where the Indian Ocean bounds its range on three sides and the rhesus macaque, a close relative and competitor, takes over to the north. Males measure roughly 51 to 60 centimetres from head to rump and weigh 5 to 12 kilograms, while females are clearly smaller. The animal takes its name from the whorl of hair that radiates from the crown of its head like a cap. It is active by day, moves in trees and on the ground, and feeds on fruit, seeds, nuts, flowers and invertebrates. Troops hold several males and females, with a stable female hierarchy and males that disperse at maturity. The species tolerates people well and is common around temples, roads and villages, where it takes food from humans. Two subspecies are recognised, a dark-bellied and a pale-bellied form.