Diet composition of the bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata) in a tropical dry evergreen forest of southern India

AbstractThe diet composition of the bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata) in a tropical dry evergreen forest was studied. This forest was chosen because is floristically different from other habitats in which bonnet macaques have been studied so far. Fruits formed the most important component of the bonnet macaque diet, followed by foliage and invertebrates. The percent frequency of use of different food items chosen by the monkeys did not vary significantly among age/sex classes. The monkeys were well dispersed as a result of an absence of predation pressure; hence, dominance hierarchy was absent due to a lack of competition over limited resources.