# Silvery lutung (*Trachypithecus cristatus*) The silvery lutung is a playful monkey with shiny silver fur and a long tail! They love to swing in trees and are often seen in groups, having fun together. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Lutung, Silver Leaf Monkey ![Silvery lutung](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Silvered_Leaf_Monkey_-_Day_17_%2810%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Silvered_Leaf_Monkey_-_Day_17_%2810%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Silvery lutung has soft, silvery-grey fur covering most of its body, often darker on its hands and feet, and a distinctive crest of hair on its head. Its face is hairless and black, contrasting sharply with its vibrant coat, and babies are born bright orange! ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Primates - **Family:** Cercopithecidae - **Genus:** Trachypithecus ## Interesting facts - Baby silvery lutungs are born bright orange, but turn silver as they grow up! - Silvery lutungs help forests by eating leaves and spreading seeds from fruits. - Their long tails are not for swinging, but for amazing balance while leaping! - These monkeys live in big groups with many females and their adorable offspring. ## Special abilities - **Canopy Acrobat:** Silvery lutung can leap up to 10 meters between trees because of their strong legs and long tail that helps them balance. - **Community Caregivers:** Silvery lutung mothers often share their babies with other females, which helps the whole group learn about raising young. - **Alarm Whistler:** Silvery lutungs can make loud whistling calls that alert their group to danger, helping everyone quickly find safety. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 46-56 cm - **Weight:** 5-8 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-25 years - **Speed:** 25 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 180-200 days ## Diet & Feeding These monkeys mostly munch on leaves, but also enjoy fruits and flowers for a varied diet! - **Primary Foods:** Leaves, Young shoots, Flowers, Fruits - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Reticulated Python](https://www.snappit.app/explore/reticulated-python) (*Python reticulatus*) — Hunts young lutungs and sometimes adults in their forest habitat. - **Depends on:** Cluster Fig (*Ficus racemosa*) — Provides essential leaves and fruits, a significant part of their diet. - **Eaten by:** Changeable Hawk-Eagle (*Nisaetus cirrhatus*) — Preys on young or smaller lutungs from above the canopy. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always watch from a distance and never try to touch wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Silvery lutung? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Silvery lutung? 46-56 cm ### How much does Silvery lutung weigh? 5-8 kg ### How long does Silvery lutung live? 15-25 years ### How fast can Silvery lutung move? 25 km/h ### What does Silvery lutung eat? These monkeys mostly munch on leaves, but also enjoy fruits and flowers for a varied diet! ### Where is Silvery lutung usually found? Forests ### How does Silvery lutung hunt? Foraging ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Silvery lutung: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silvery-lutung)