A Checklist To The 15 Monkeys & Lorises Of Sri Lanka

The Hanuman Langur
The Hanuman langur, also called the Tufted Gray langur - is one of three Semnopithecus priam variants, all of which are found in India; but only Semnopithecus priam thersites lives in Sri Lanka. Up to sixty inches long head to tail with a weight that can hit close to fifteen kilos, its black face is framed in a wispy white beard that runs from forehead to chin. It is a light grey in colour, and lives as readily in dry forests as urban areas


The Southern Lowland Wet Zone Purple-Faced Langur
The Southern lowland wet zone purple-faced langur stands out for its more varied markings – a black upper torso and lavish white whiskers. Occasionally all-white versions are spotted.

The Western Purple-Faced Langur
The Western purple-faced langur - also confusingly named the north lowland wet zone purple-faced langur - is the smallest of the purple faced langurs, its fur a dark greyish brown.

The Dryzone Purple-Faced Langur
The Dryzone purple-faced langur is the largest of the purple faced langurs - with arresting white cheeks and an exceptionally long tail.

The Montane Purple-Faced Langur,
The Montane purple-faced langur, sometimes called the Bear Monkey has extra shaggy fur, all the better to keep it warm on the higher mountains on which it prefers to live.


The Vetulus Harti Purple-Faced Langur
Taxologists from Jaffna have called for the recognition of a firth sub species - vetulus harti. Although there are no reliable recorded sightings of it as a living mammal, its pelts have been found around Jaffna and Vavuniya – strikingly yellow gold.


The Pale-Fronted or Dusky Toque Macaque
The Pale-Fronted or Dusky Toque Macaque sticks to the wet zones in the southwest. Like all varieties of toque Macaque in Sri Lanka, they can weigh up to twelve pounds with a head to tail length of almost a metre. Whilst they have been known to live for thirty five years, most die within five, victims to infant mortality or fights within troops for dominance.

The Common Toque Macaque
The Common Toque Macaque favour the dry zone areas of the north and east.

The Highland Toque Macaque
The Highland Toque Macaque favours the hilly centre of the island.


The Northern Ceylonese Slender Loris
The Northern Ceylonese slender loris, Loris lydekkerianus nordicus, lives in the dry northern and eastern forest regions of the island. A slow moving midget, its body measures barely 200 mm , and weighs little more than 250 grams.

The Highland Slender Loris
The Highland slender loris, Loris lydekkerianus grandis, despite having “grandis” in its name, weighs in at barely 100 grams. It can be distinguished by its shorter ears, its face – more like a love heart than that of the Northern Ceylonese slender loris – and hair that, at its very root, is more black than white. It keeps, as its name implies, to the highland areas of Sri Lanka.

Loris Tardigradus Tardigradus
Loris tardigradus tardigradus, keeps itself to the wet, lowland forests in southwest Sri Lanka. It weighs in at up to 172 grams and a body that extends to little more than 17 centimetres. It has dense reddish brown fur and the classic slender hands and legs of all its species.

Loris Tardigradus Grandis
Loris tardigradus grandis is found in slightly hilly areas – up to about 1000 meters. As its Latin names implies, this loris sub species is larger than most other lorises. It can also be singled out in other ways too - its limbs are more heavily furred and, according to it its less charitable observers, it presents a less delicate appearance than that of its cousins. It can weigh up to 227 grams and has been known to extend 256 mm from head to body.

Loris Tardigradus Nycticeboides
The rarest loris - Loris tardigradus nycticeboides, the mountain loris, is noticeable for its shorter limbs and thicker fur and almost only seen in the high cloud forests of Horton Plains. It is known locally as kada papa or "baby of the forest".

Loris Tardigradus Nordicus
Arguments still rage over the possibility of a further sub species – the Loris Tardigradus Nordicus. Discovered as far back as 1932 in the Knuckles Range, subsequent reports emerged of it appearing in such different areas as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kurunegala, Puttalam, Trincomalee and Matale. It is said to have a very distinctive facial stripe, a greyish coat of thin fur and can weigh in at 293 grams. Scientists are divided as to whether this possible variant belongs best to the red or grey loris family.