The one animal you can guarantee to see on a safari tour of Yala National Park in Sri Lanka is a Toque Macaque monkey. You will see family troops munching leaves, nuts and berries in the tree tops. If you are lucky you may catch them on the ground as they make a dash to a different clump of trees or large bushes.

Yala National Park Sri Lankan Toque Macaque Monkey in the trees eating leaves

There will always be some on look out duty as leopards consider Toque Macaque monkeys as ideal snacks. During my last safari trip we heard a horrible scream and then saw a leopard up in a tree eating a monkey's head. Yuck!

What is a Toque? It is a type of hat with a narrow brim or no brim at all. They are a bit like a small hat cooks use to keep their hair up and out of the food they are preparing. This macaque monkey got its name because Europeans thought its tuft of hear on top of its head looked like one of the small hats. Toque macaque monkeys are only found in the wild in Sri Lanka

Yala National Park Sri Lankan Toque Macaque Monkey troop on the rocks

They will also forage on the ground for food. They are omnivores which means they eat most things. They like insects, seeds, nuts, fruit, reptiles, birds and will eat carrion. They live in the natural jungle rainforest and are now endangered as this is cleared for farm land. They are hunted if they raid crops.

It has learned to live with humans in some areas, especially near Buddhist temples. it has the nickname of Temple Monkey. Most Sri Lankans consider the Toque Macaque monkey a pest and a thief because troops steal anything edible when they visit peoples homes.

Makes sure that when you leave your hotel rooms that all the windows are locked. Many tourists have had items damaged and stolen after a monkey raid. They get to know where easy food and shiny things to play with can be found. These monkeys also seem to delight in peeing and going to poo in the hotel rooms they raid. I suppose it is their calling card.

Yala National Park Sri Lankan Toque Macaque Monkey troop on the rocks

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