The Hanuman Langur and the Rhesus Macaque are great rivals in nature. The comparatively larger Langur (that has relatively light coloured bodies with black faces) is more dignified then the Rhesus Macaque that is known to attack humans often without any provocation.
The Macaques are known to attack people at temples and other places, but there are no such incidents when it comes to the Langur. The Rhesus Macaques which are more destructive are known to however fear the Hanuman Langur. It is this territorial instinct of the monkeys that became the bane of the Langur.
Fruit farmers made use of this trait to protect their crop. They trapped Langurs in the wild and kept them tied up to keep the destructive Macaques out of their gardens. But of late both species have learnt to live together because of the rapid reduction in their respective habitats.
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Earlier, trapping and sale of Hanuman Langur was a roaring business in some upland villages of Krishna district. The simians were kept on a leash like pet dogs during season to protect mango crop. Unlike their arboreal cousins, the Langur cannot be tamed even if they are trapped when young.
Langurs were also pressed into service by staff of Parliament House to prevent the Macaques from wreaking havoc. Only the protests of wildlife conservationists brought the inhuman and unlawful practice to a stop.
Former Assistant Conservator of Forests P. Gracious says the demand for Langur has come down considerable because the Langurs and Macaques have learnt to “co-exist”. The two species can nowadays be seen together, though not on the same tree. The rival species have some how learnt to share territories.
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Temples have also been a favourite of monkey populations. Several Langur families can be seen roaming freely around Annavaram temple, now that there is marked reduction in the demand for them, Mr Gracious says.