Bonnet macaque

Bonnet macaque
Bonnet macaque in Mangaon, Maharashtra, India
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Suborder: Haplorhini
Family: Cercopithecidae
Genus: Macaca
Species:
M. radiata
Binomial name
Macaca radiata
(É. Geoffroy, 1812)
Bonnet macaque range
Synonyms
  • diluta Pocock, 1931

The bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata), also known as zati, is a species of macaque endemic to southern India. Its distribution is limited by the Indian Ocean on three sides and the Godavari and Tapti rivers, along with that of the rhesus macaque, its related competitor to the north. Land use changes in the last few decades have resulted in changes in its distribution boundaries with the rhesus macaque, raising concern for its conservation status in the wild.

The bonnet macaque is diurnal, arboreal, and terrestrial. It can live up to 35 years in captivity.

The bonnet macaque feeds on fruits, nuts, seeds, flowers, invertebrates, and cereals. In southern India, this macaque has a commensal interaction with humans, feeding on food given by humans and raiding farms and houses.