The Fear of Monkeys - The Best E-Zine on the Web for Politically Conscious WritingThe Tufted Gray Langur - Issue Forty-Six
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Vervet Monkey  from Christiano Artuso The Tufted Gray Langur is an Old World monkey who live in India and Sri Lanka; they are partially arboreal, semi-terrestrial and diurnal in habit. Although principally vegetarians, and eat fruits and seeds (such as Nelumbo nucifera seeds), especially drier fibrous fruits, they also eat insects. Evergreen leaves are eaten when others foods are less abundant and bark is only eaten when nothing else is available. Their diet is high in strychnine, so they commonly ingest the gum of the Sterculia urens to counteract the effects. In the Sri Lankan subspecies, their dorsal area gray to brownish gray in color, getting darker with the age. Underneath they are light grayish with short whitish beard and sideburns. The hairs of the crown form a distinct pointed tuft or crest, that meets at a central point, giving them their name. Hands and feet are same color as limbs. Males are larger than females and the average adult weighs 12.8 kg with a head-to-body length of 61.1 cm. The Indian subspecies is somewhat larger bodied than the Sri Lankan which typically weigh between 6.8 and 13.4 kg. Despite its somewhat slighter size there, they are the largest native primate on Sri Lanka. They mainly stay in their territories in troops of about 20 to 50 individuals. Large troops are led by both large male-female combinations, whereas small troops are governed by an alpha male. Females quickly attain their heat and mate with new alpha male, even when they are not ready for the reproduction in the natural estrous cycle. They give birth to a single offspring or rarely twins, after a 6 months of gestation period. After birth, offspring is attach to the mother about 3 months with all the nourishment and other protection. Sub adult males and other males usually spend the time with searching for foods, rivals with neighbouring alpha males, and protecting the troop. Females spend the time with feeding the young, grooming them, and even play with the young. They communicate with many different ways such as barks, grunts, whoops, whistles and howls. The cough like voice is used for giving tension, and whistling for the contact loss with the troop. The tufted gray langur monkey's superior eyesight and ability to sit atop high trees allows it to spot predators such as leopards, black eagles, tigers, dholes, gray wolves, mugger crocodiles, and occasionally the Indian rock python. They will often sit next to herds of the spotted deer and notify them when a predator is approaching. Additionally, they will often drop fruit from tall trees, which the spotted deer will then feed on. In return, the deer's excellent sense of smell allows it to detect predators early on and warn that something may be approaching. They are listed as a "Near Threatened" species, due to decline of populations in recent years. Hunting and habitat destruction also affect for the declining of the species. Some people also fond of eating them in some parts of Sri Lanka. Very few occasions are recorded of being captured for pets. Numerous conservations projects are undertaken in both Sri Lankan and Indian forests and sanctuaries.

   


Constitution

by

Ken Poyner

Twenty-five men pledge allegiance to the cause. Each pledge varies, so there are twenty-five pledges. One clerk documents. He has a folding table, a notebook. He starts when the first man speaks, but the next starts before what the first man said is recorded. Nonetheless, he writes the second man's pledge--with the man half way through, the documentarian cannot remember the beginning, so he starts at the middle. Almost immediately, the third man is speaking. By the fifth man, the recordist realizes all he can do is write down stray words from each man, hoping to create an oath.


Ken’s eleventh book, “Winter’s Last Apple”, is just out. Eight of his previous ten books are still in print. He lives in Virginia with his wife of 45+ years, assorted rescue cats and various betta fish. “Café Irreal”, “Analog”, “Grey Sparrow”, “Mad Swirl”, elsewhere.

 

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