In India, huge flocks of macaques rule large cities. How to protect yourself from monkey hooliganism in India and Thailand The elephant is a sacred animal in India

Russians purchasing tours to India should be very careful while on the streets of Indian cities. Tourists are rarely threatened local residents and even criminals and the police treat tourists more than kindly. In large Indian cities there are even special police departments that deal with all issues and problems of tourists.

The worst threat on the streets of Indian cities is macaques. It’s scary to imagine, but in Delhi alone there are more than 10 thousand of them, although of course, the number of street robbers is difficult to accurately determine, because they multiply quite quickly.

Monkeys in India are a sacred animal, and therefore beating, much less killing, them is strictly prohibited, both for local residents and law enforcement officers. According to Indian beliefs, the macaque is the earthly representative of the deity Hanuman, who is quite revered among Hindus. Moreover, Hindu traditions require treating all sacred animals on Tuesday and Saturday. Which, naturally, Indians do regularly. As a result, monkeys feel more than at ease on the streets of Indian cities.

Despite all the tricks of the tailed robbers, it is useless to complain about them, since the police do not react to their antics, and there are simply no other services in India that deal specifically with monkeys. Fully aware of their impunity, the monkeys are creating real “mayhem” on the streets of Delhi.

Monkeys are primarily interested in food supplies. Therefore, when they see something of interest to the monkeys in the hands of the townspeople, they do not hesitate to attack even people. As a result, the monkeys literally snatch packages, bags and other things from the hands of local residents. Moreover, attacks are rarely limited to the theft of food supplies, because they still need to be reached. And the teeth Indian macaques quite spicy. That’s why bags or other things torn to shreds are not uncommon.

Monkeys have no less attention to bright and shiny objects. Therefore, mirrors and photographic equipment should be used carefully so as not to attract the attention of four-legged primates.

Reports of incidents involving monkeys appear almost regularly. One of bright examples The outrages caused by the monkeys resulted in the destruction and disruption of the wedding ceremony. An Indian wedding is always accompanied by colorful costumes and a wild feast. Similar activity on one of the streets of Delhi attracted the attention of a whole troop of monkeys. As a result, food supplies were practically destroyed, clothes were torn, the wedding was disrupted, and some guests required medical attention, since wounds inflicted by the teeth and claws of monkeys can be dangerous.

Interestingly, almost everyone suffers from the monkey invasion - government and public institutions, police officers, local residents, as well as tourists. Therefore, being on the streets Indian city, you should not once again attract the attention of four-legged animals. And when coming into contact with them, you should be quite careful, as their bites are very unpleasant and painful.

India is a country located in the southern part of Asia, most of it is located on the Hindustan Peninsula. This state washes Indian Ocean, namely its Bay of Bengal and Arabian Bay.

Fauna of India

This country is home to many species of mammals, birds, insects and reptiles. Animal world India is very diverse. The most common fauna here are camels, monkeys, elephants, cows, and snakes.

Camel

These are the most common animals in India, they are mainly used for transporting goods, as well as for riding, in ancient times they even took part in battles.

There are two types of this animal - dromedary and bactrian, that is, one-humped and two-humped. Camels are herbivores. They are able to feed on those desert plants that are not eaten by any other animals. This, for example, An adult animal weighs about 500-800 kilograms, and it lives for 30-50 years. The camel body is very well adapted to survive in the desert. Thanks to the specific shape of red blood cells, a camel can drink an impressive amount of water at one time - 60-100 liters. Thus, the animal makes a supply of fluid, which can last for two weeks. When the camel for a long time does without water, its body gets it by burning fats, while the animal can lose most your weight. In India, the milk of this animal is often consumed. It has a number beneficial properties: it contains vitamins C and D, microelements (calcium, magnesium, iron and others). Another positive feature of this product is that it contains very little casein, which makes milk difficult to digest.

Indian elephant

Elephants are also very common animals in India. In addition to the animal that lives in this state and bears the corresponding name, there is also another species of elephant - the African one. The Indian differs from it in that it has smaller ears and is smaller in size than the African. Another interesting thing is that both males and females have tusks, while in Indians only males have tusks. These animals are the largest land animals (they are surpassed in size only but they live in the ocean). Elephants are used as a means of transportation in the jungle. In India, these animals are very popular because of their docile nature. In addition, elephants often participate in religious celebrations.

Monkey

These are very common animals in India. Species such as macaques, langurs and others live here. Many even live in big cities.

King of Beasts - Indian Tiger

Now there are only 3,200 individuals of this species left on the territory of this state. Many of them live in mangrove forests. Previously, these animals often attacked people, so they were exterminated in large quantities, but hunting tigers is not easy.

What kind of snakes live in India?

On the territory of this state lives on Earth - King Cobra. However, people very rarely suffer from its bites, since it lives far in the forests, hunting small animals there. Much more dangerous to humans are sand faff. The first reaches 1.5-2 meters in length, has a rich yellow color and a dark pattern on the head, which is somewhat reminiscent of glasses, hence the name. The second belongs to the same family with vipers. Its length is small - about 70 centimeters. It's a snake Brown with a zigzag pattern on the sides.

Peacock

Many people associate these birds with Indian culture. They are often found not only in the mythology of a given country, but also in Persian and Islamic legends. Even in Christianity there is a mention of the peacock - it is a symbol of life. This bird is very common in Indian art - both in literature, music, and painting. Peacocks are very common in this state; they live almost everywhere.

What animals are considered sacred in India?

First of all, these are cows. Since ancient times, these are sacred animals of India. They were considered as such in Ancient Egypt. In the mythology of this country, there is a belief that after death you can get to heaven if you swim across the river while holding on to the tail of a cow. This is also due to the fact that the milk of this animal is very often consumed as food. Therefore, the cow is considered a symbol of life.

Another sacred animal of India is elephants. They are considered a symbol of wisdom, kindness and prudence, and are often depicted in homes and on temples. There are also sacred animals of India, which are representatives of certain gods. These are, for example, monkeys - they are considered the incarnation of the god Hanuman, an ally of Rama. Also, in India they are rats. There is even a whole temple dedicated to them - thousands of these animals live there. There is a legend associated with them in India. According to her, Karni Mata was a Hindu saint, and when one of her children died, she began to pray to the god of death Yama to return her son to her, and he turned all her sons into rats. There is also a snake cult in India. According to ancient legends, these animals are the patrons of the waters of the valley. If we turn to mythology, we can find out that snakes are the sons of Kadru. In myths, these animals are described in human images, they are endowed with such traits as wisdom, beauty and strength. In addition, the peacock is also found in Indian mythology - Krishna’s headdress was decorated with its feathers. Temples dedicated to this god are painted with images of this bird.

People who are not initiated into Hindu beliefs are usually extremely surprised to see how at ease monkeys feel in Indian bazaars. They climb everywhere, steal fruits and other foodstuffs from the shelves, and no one drives them away - on the contrary, it seems that they are expected here as dear guests. Such honors are awarded to the Hindus living in India and Sri Lanka, the monkey hanuman langur (Semnopithecus entellus). Some of them destroy fields and gardens, while others, who live in temples, are brought food by local residents themselves.

Hindus have every reason to revere monkeys: according to their ideas, the monkey god Hanuman miraculously saved the wife of the god Rama, Sita, from the encroachments of the demon Ramana. Rama is one of the supreme Indian gods, and Hanuman was honored to be his associate. Hanuman is also considered the patron of the arts and healing.

This deity is worshiped by millions of Hindus and his images can be found in many Hindu homes. Temples are erected in honor of Hanuman - some pilgrims on the way to such a temple even try to imitate the behavior of monkeys, thereby showing the greatest respect to their idol. During religious festivals, bright, colorful processions of thousands of believers move through the streets, carrying images of the monkey god. The participants in the celebrations were filled with trembling excitement, and, as one witness to such a spectacle wrote, “no one refused to give alms to the numerous beggars sitting along the streets.”

According to Hindu beliefs, anyone who settles in the resting place of the monkey Hanuman will soon be overtaken by death. There are special “clairvoyants” who are invited to find out whether the remains of a monkey are buried in the place chosen to build a house.

It goes without saying that among religious Hindus, offending a sacred monkey is considered a grave sin, which some irresponsible people take advantage of by “inviting” monkeys to “annoy” an enemy or a quarrelsome neighbor. For this purpose, they sprinkle rice on the roof of his house. The monkey instantly realizes what’s going on and goes for the treat. And since grains of rice inevitably roll under the tiles that cover the roof, the monkey breaks them off in search of a treat, thus causing considerable damage to the unwanted one. And try to touch her!

Monkeys of the genus langurs ( Presbytis) are considered the fastest primates on earth, capable of running at speeds of up to 40 kilometers per hour. They can also jump from one tree to another, 15 meters away. When a monkey gives birth to a baby, the new mother is immediately surrounded by many females, obviously delighted with the addition to the family. The baby is strikingly different in color from the adult monkey. In these monkeys, there were cases of killing of cubs when a foreign male took the place of the head of the family. Some scientists explain such cruel behavior by the fact that females who have lost their offspring quickly become ready to resume sex life, because now they no longer need to feed the baby milk. According to scientists, the male knows about this and destroys the offspring left from the previous father.

Another one interesting monkey from the genus of langurs - the common proboscis monkey, or kahau ( Nasalis larvatus), found in the swampy forests of Borneo. Some biologists consider it the most extravagant of all monkey species. The male has an amazing nose, reaching 17 centimeters in length and hanging below the chin. Accurate explanations for this miracle of nature have not yet been found, but it seems that a long nose serves as a resonator for the male with characteristic loud “call signs” reminiscent of “kahau” (hence the second name of the proboscis whale). And the locals call this monkey “blanda,” as they called the first Dutch colonists.

Monkeys can also be found in some temples in Nepal, but here the Rhesus monkey is held in high esteem ( Macaca mulatta). Whole crowds of these tailed creatures roam freely around some Hindu temples. They say that people settled sacred monkeys in temples two thousand years ago - since then they have lived there, generation after generation. Currently, about 300 rhesus macaques permanently reside in the famous Pashupati Temple in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Is it necessary to explain what a comfortable life they lead in this sacred place for Hindus? They are fed everything: rice, ground nuts, and pumpkin! When they go out for a walk, people vying with each other to offer them sweets. Sacred Monkeys are under reliable protection Nepalese laws.

Rhesus macaques can also be seen in the Buddhist temple in Swayambhu, apparently in old times these animals came here from the forest, and when people fed them, they decided to stay here forever.

The Indian macaque (lat. Macaca radiata) is a small primate from the monkey family (Cercopithecidae). His head is decorated with luxurious hair, reminiscent of a dark cap. It is also called the bonnet macaque or zati. The animal is not afraid of humans and due to the contraction natural environment habitat willingly settles near villages and temples.

In many regions it causes serious damage to farmers, destroying crops in fields and plantations. The monkey is easily tamed and has a relatively docile and curious character. It is often used for laboratory research; in captivity it becomes strongly attached to its owner.

Spreading

The species is widespread throughout India. The largest populations are found in the coastal regions of Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Monkeys easily adapt to various landscapes, preferring wooded areas. In the north of the country they settle in mountain forests at altitudes of about 2100 m above sea level. In the lowlands they inhabit primary and secondary forests, bush and savannas. In many Indian cities they make a living by begging and stealing food supplies.

To date, 2 subspecies are known – M.c. radiata and M.c. diluta. The second subspecies is found on the southeastern coast of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It differs from the nominate subspecies in having a lighter belly.

Behavior

Indian macaques lead an active daily lifestyle, forming groups with an average size of about 30 individuals. Unlike many other primates, they have no obvious hierarchical division during fur preening. Even dominant males take great pleasure in looking for insects in the fur of their young fellow tribesmen.

Monkeys on vacation try to experience close physical contact with members of their own sex. Older animals demonstrate obvious care for the younger ones, trying in every possible way to cheer them up, console and caress them. Young individuals love to scream loudly and game form imitate attacks on each other. Dominant males take an active part in such games, even allowing children and adolescents to bite themselves.

Home lots are very large. The area of ​​holdings of one group can reach 50 hectares. Primates usually stay in their area for a long time and leave it only after a significant decrease in the food supply. Sites different groups, as a rule, intersect, but the meeting of two clans does not lead to aggression. Monkeys also coexist peacefully with langurs (Presbytis) and (Macaca Silenus).

Fruits occupy 47-53% of the total diet. In addition to them, the daily menu includes seeds, leaves and flowers of various plants.

Food of animal origin consists of insects, small lizards and frogs. Macaques especially like the fruits of karanja (Pongamia pinnata), fig tree (Ficus carica) and large grasshoppers (Tettigoniodea).

Animals are busy searching for food during daylight hours. IN populated areas willingly feed food waste local residents.

Reproduction

Sexual maturity in females occurs at the age of 3-4 years, and in males at 4-6 years. In the northern regions of the range mating season passes in early spring, and in the rest all year round. Peak birth rates occur from February to April. Fertility of females depends on the abundance of food and social status.

Pregnancy lasts from 155 to 165 days. The female brings only one baby. Fathers do not take a direct part in raising their offspring and begin to show interest in them only after reaching adolescence. The cubs feed on mother's milk for 6-7 months.

Females give birth every 1-2 years and usually produce a total of about 5 babies. Menopause occurs at 27 years of age.

For the first six months, the cubs are inseparable from their mother, hanging on her back or paws. After finishing milk feeding, they learn to get their own food on their own, and in the second year they move on to independent existence. Females stay with their closest relatives, and mature males join other clans.

Description

The length of the body and tail of adult individuals is 40-50 cm. Weight is 3000-6000 g. Females are smaller and lighter than males.

The fur color is brownish, yellowish-brownish or olive-brown. The abdomen is lighter. The face is reddish or flesh-colored, devoid of hair. There is no hair on the ears either.

Cheek pouches allow you to store and carry food. Their volume is approximately equal to the volume of the stomach. On the head there is a dark “cap” characteristic of this species. It is especially noticeable in sexually mature males.

Under natural conditions, the life expectancy of Indian macaques rarely exceeds 18-19 years. In captivity good care it increases to 30 years.

India is an amazing source of forgotten culture and ancient traditions. All more people go to India to plunge into history, understand how people lived in ancient times, and why so many animals are considered sacred in India.

India is a land of vegetarians, and, probably, the main, but not the only sacred animal of India is the cow (6 letters). However, there is no ban on eating beef in the country and non-Hindus enjoy eating beef and even serve it in restaurants.

If you are asked name the sacred animal of India, there is something to be confused about here, since the elephant, monkey and even snake are considered sacred animals along with the cow in India.

The elephant is a sacred animal in India.

The elephant has become sacred for his hard work, he is like a personal crane, truck, tractor and personal vehicles in the family rolled into one. And the elephant also protected the home and was even used in wars as a ramming weapon or a tank, if you like, the role of elephants in wars is well written in this article.

Why did the monkey become a sacred animal?, it would seem difficult to understand, a crook that does not bring any benefit to the house, and yet the monkey is also a sacred animal for the Indians. You can understand why the monkey is considered a sacred animal by plunging into the Indian epic and remembering the wars between humans and monkeys.

By historical references In ancient times, on the territory of India there lived a people of intelligent monkeys, who were not inferior to people in knowledge and culture and even surpassed them in strength and intelligence. Look on the Internet about wars between people and monkeys, these are not fiction, but historical facts about more ancient civilizations that inhabited the territory of India in ancient times.

The sacred animal of India is the snake.

This representative of the animal world does not evoke sympathy from any person, only fear. And meanwhile the snake is also a sacred animal. In India there is a holiday of snakes, it is called, in my opinion, Nagapanchami - if I have not misinterpreted its sound, on this day it is customary to treat snakes with milk and rice, and flowers are brought to snake holes.

Why is the snake called a sacred animal in India? Apparently, this is also the history of human development in parallel with the intelligent branch of reptiles.

It is generally accepted that Hindi is spoken in India; encyclopedias write that Hindi is the most widely spoken language in the world. But, unfortunately, if you learn Hindi and go to India to travel, you will be very disappointed there - you will not be able to communicate in it, since Hindi is a generalized name for several thousand local dialects, and it is spoken only in the north of the country. You better teach English language, India has long been an English colony, and many residents still communicate in it.

India is a complex country - vibrant in its decorations, as wise as its history with sacred animals, with traditions and knowledge that have come from the depths of millennia.