The familiar sight of the lanky, long-tailed monkeys of India, with their bushy eyebrows and chin tuft brings cheer to some, fear to others. Layman travelers refer to them as black face monkeys due to their obvious facial coloration. To the animal kingdom they’re known as Semnopithecus entellus. To the residents of India, the monkey signifies something much more special.

Properly known as common Indian Langur or Gray Langur, the small and lean body of an Indian monkey is easily identifiable by its grayish body color, long hands and jet black face. The term langur means ‘having a long tail’ which suits the animal with an average tail length between 2-3 feet. Mischievous, devious, and down right annoying, these monkeys (living to an average age of 20) are constantly on the look out for the leaves, fruit, buds and flowers on which they feed. Jumping from tree top to roof top, langur monkeys move with speed and agility. The natural habitat of the langur comprises of humid forests, mangrove swamps, urban areas and wooded terrains of India. There are 15 subspecies, identifiable by the color of their fur. Ranging from grey, dark brown to golden with varying amounts of black, the different subspecies also vary in size; subspecies from the southern part of their range are smaller than those from the north.

Indians commonly refer to the langur monkey as the Hanuman Monkey. This is a direct reference to the well known and respected Hindu monkey God Hanuman. And because of this reference, it makes it all the more difficult to keep the sacred monkey at bay. The killing of a langur monkey is an unspeakable offense. If a langur monkey meets an unfortunate end by way of an automobile, it is an unwritten rule that whomever discovers the dead body must drape a cloth over it immediately as a sign of respect to the Gods.

As India expands further into the natural habitat of the langur’s domain, the daily struggle between man and monkey is more pronounced. Tourists visiting local temples or other popular destinations will inevitably meet face to face with the langur. A stroll through the local gardens of any given city results in the meeting of the langur. Locals working inside their homes also are met with the curiously aggressive behavior of the monkey. Langurs are fastidious groomers, often spending hours picking bugs from each others coats. Contorted bodies lay in poses similar to popular yoga exercises as a mate or family member digs, then eats any discovered bugs. Approaching a group of monkeys should always be done with a confident yet protective stature. Although preoccupied with grooming, the langur will quickly become more interested in flowers, food and unsecured items on passersby. Open bags/purses and even hanging cameras can be of interest to the hungry animals. With sweets on their mind, the langur monkey uses sneaky tactics as well as direct confrontation to get what it wants.

Confronting a langur monkey must be done with caution; keeping in mind the religious connotation. Stand firm, make noises and move your arms to wave off approaching monkeys. Never look them in the eyes. They tend to stray from large groups, preying on individuals. Keep food contained in closed bags. Allow a monkey to grab something of interest when walking alone. Do not hit, taunt or make overly aggressive movements toward the monkey as it may be misconstrued as demeaning toward a religious figure.