Orange is the new black — at least for these baby monkeys.
SILVERED LEAF MONKEYS
A monkey that changes colour, for good reason.
Appearances
Silvered Leaf monkeys, also known as the Silvery Lutung, have a unique feature: their babies are born a radiant orange gold colour. Experts believe that the babies are orange so that mothers do not lose them when they explore the forest.
Their colouration helps them blend into their surroundings and camouflage them from predators which are usually orange-green color blind. A baby’s fur would eventually change to the silvery black colour of an adult monkey, a sign of maturation accompanied by a decrease in attention from the mother.
By the time these infants are fully grey, they would be fairly independent.
Habitat and social structure
They are normally found across Borneo and Sumatra, as well as in parts of the South-Western Malay peninsula, the Natuna Islands, and other nearby islands. They inhabit mangrove swamps and nearby forest regions, and generally avoid travelling far from coasts or rivers.
Superficially the social structure of proboscis monkeys and Silvered Leaf monkeys appear similar, with family groups consisting of one dominant male, and multiple females and juveniles. However, unlike the proboscis monkeys where the females frequently migrate between groups seeking to mate with a stronger, fitter partner, female Silvery Lutungs stay put in their family unit and the males fight for the right to mate with them. Hence, the lineage of the family is passed down from the females’ side, i.e matrilineal.
Diet
They are specialists in eating leaves. Compared to other species of monkeys that feed on fruits, they prefer to feed on tougher and more mature leaves. Also like the proboscis monkeys, they possess chambered stomachs designed for this very diet.
Life in Labuk Bay
Sharing a home with the proboscis monkeys in Labuk Bay is no problem for these monkeys. There has even been a case of a male proboscis monkey being adopted into a silvered leaf monkey family in Bako National Park.
Mellow and friendly, they are so trustful of humans that they would even bring their babies up close. However, visitors should not touch these monkeys to avoid further habituation. Furthermore, these monkeys are wild animals and their behavior could be difficult to predict, It would be best if the visitors constantly maintain a safe distance from them.
MORE INFORMATION
AN UNUSUAL DIET
The proboscis monkeys in Labuk Bay have a supplementary food intake of pancakes!
VISITORS’ TIPS
Plan ahead of your trip and learn the do’s and don’ts when visiting us!
MEALTIMES
Platform A and B have different feeding times as well as different families of monkeys.