Rhesus Macaque
Primate Profile
Rhesus Macaque
Macaca Macaca mulatta
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Primates
Family
Cercopithecidae
Genus
Macaca
Species
mulatta
Authority
(Zimmermann, 1780)
Photo
LC
IUCN STATUSLeast Concern
- Common NameRhesus Macaque
- Taxonomy Classification Year1780
- Monkey Size45 to 64 cm (17.72 to 25.20 in)
- Skin Color(s)Brown or grey
- HabitatDesert or dune, savanna or grassland, forest, mountains
- DietOmnivorous
- Native CountriesIndia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand, Afghanistan, Vietnam, China
Rhesus Macaque Distribution
Countries
India (
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Bangladesh (
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Pakistan (
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Nepal (
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Myanmar (
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Thailand (
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Afghanistan (
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Vietnam (
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China (
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)Rhesus Macaque Characteristics
The rhesus macaque[1] (Macaca mulatta), commonly known as the rhesus monkey, is a species of Old-World monkey.
- There are about 6 to 9 recognized subspecies, divided into two groups, those native to China and those native to India.
- The rhesus monkey is brown or gray in color and has a pink face with no fur. It has an average of 50 vertebrae and a large thorax.
- Its tail averages between 20.7 and 22.9 cm (8.1 and 9.0 in). Adult males average about 53 cm (21 in) and weigh about 7.7 kg (17 lb).
- Females are smaller, averaging 19 inches (47 cm) long and weighing 12 pounds (5.3 kg).
- The arm length to leg length ratio is 89.6 to 94.3%.
What Eats Rhesus Macaques?
The African Journal of ecology describes that the main predators for Rhesus macaques are Leopards (Panthera pardus), Snow Leopards (Uncia uncia) and tigers (Panthera tigris) in the wild[§].
Rhesus Macaque Facts
- Rhesus monkeys are diurnal animals, both arboreal and terrestrial.
- They are quadrupedal, and when they are on the ground, they are digitigrade and plantigrade.
- Rhesus monkeys are very active and very vocal. They like to be in the water and are good swimmers.
- They have the widest geographic range of any non-human primate, occupying a wide variety of altitudes and habitats, from grasslands to arid, forested areas and close to human settlements.
- Like other macaques, the rhesus macaque is gregarious, with troops ranging from 20 to 200 individuals. Social groups are matrilineal, and a female’s rank is determined by the rank of her mother.
Suggested Reading: All Monkeys
Cite this page
BioExplorer. (2026, August 26). Rhesus Macaque. https://www.bioexplorer.net/animals/mammals/monkeys/rhesus-macaque/