Gray langur

The Nepalese Langur (Semnopithecus schistaceus) is an unusual herbivorous monkey. Gray langurs have a multi-chambered stomach populated with special bacteria - all in order to better digest the leaves. There are much fewer herbivores that can climb trees than herbivores that run on the ground (goats, sheep, etc.). Thanks to this, langurs can easily find food even in the not too lush forests of mountainous Nepal and India. Another thing is that the forest area is constantly shrinking, and langurs, unlike the ubiquitous and omnivorous rhesus monkeys, cannot adapt to feeding on urban waste.

In Hindi, the word "langur" means long-tailed. And in fact, the tail of the langurs is graceful. In combination with a noble gray color, they make a very positive impression. We often see these beautiful monkeys in the rhododendron forests while trekking to Annapurna Base Camp in Nepal.

Hindus consider langurs to be the personification of the monkey god Hanuman, which gives langurs a special status and some protection from human aggression.