I finally got around to asking what kind of monkeys these were, and Fahim told me that our friend Sona believed they were gray langurs, of which there are several species.
The only one I find referenced with Sri Lanka is the Tufted Gray Langur (Semnopithecus priam), but comparing Wikipedia’s pictures of the gray langurs to mine, the Black-footed Gray Langur (Semnopithecus hypoleucos) colouring looks more like mine. The Tufted Gray Langar is more silvery, whereas mine are a much darker gray and so seem to have darker feet.
I’m also under the impression that the tufted gray langur is smaller. Perhaps that is the species of monkey that’s used to charm tourists as it dances and entertains to music? I have seen smaller monkeys that, based on my hazy recollections, more closely resemble the tufted gray langur.
Perhaps both exist in Sri Lanka and my monkey visitors just happen to be the black-footed gray langur? But then another website places Northern Plains Gray Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) in Sri Lanka as well, so perhaps there are several species here, and I’m still left wondering exactly which is mine. 🙂
I am no expert, so will gladly defer to the experts. 🙂 What do y’all think?
I also learned that, locally, these monkeys are known as the Wandura.
At any rate…
Today, the monkeys were loud, causing a major ruckus, a commotion if you will. Jumping around, chasing each other, playing, wrestling in the trees… Leaves and limbs falling willy-nilly from the trees in their aftermath…
It went on for quite a while, four monkeys monkeying around. 😀 It was fun to watch, although for the most part, they were so deep in the foliage that I only caught glimpses of their outlines as they passed through a thinner area of foliage, their form outlined against the sky.
A couple of times, a monkey – and no idea which one – fell ten or twenty feet as it slipped. Ah, the fun… 😀
CORRECTION:
I was wrong. This is not a Gray Langur monkey at all, but is actually a Purple-Faced Leaf Monkey, aka Purple-Faced Langur Monkey (Trachypithecus vetulus).
