Macaca radiata
Silhouette: PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata), also known as zati, is a species of macaque endemic to southern India. Its distribution is limited by the Indian Ocean on three sides and the Godavari and Tapti rivers, along with that of the rhesus macaque, its related competitor to the north. Land use changes in the last few decades have resulted in changes in its distribution boundaries with the rhesus macaque, raising concern for its conservation status in the wild.
The bonnet macaque is diurnal, arboreal, and terrestrial. It can live up to 35 years in captivity. The bonnet macaque feeds on fruits, true nuts, seeds (culinary "nuts"), flowers, invertebrates and cereals. In southern India, this macaque has a commensal interaction with humans, feeding on food given by humans and raiding farms and houses.
The name "bonnet macaque" has been derived from the species unique and distinctive head pattern. This pattern of hair growth radiates from the center of its crown, creating a visual resemblance of a "bonnet" or a "cap" on the head of the species.
Two subspecies of the bonnet macaque have been identified: Macaca radiata radiata, dark-bellied bonnet macaque, occurs... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Periyar National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Nagarhole National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Mudumalai National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Bandipur National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 5 | Eravikulam National Park | 🇮🇳 India |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharjah Safari Park Office | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | |
| 2 | Sri Venkateswara Zoological Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Bondla Zoo | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 4 | Indira Gandhi Zoological Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 5 | Bannerghatta Zoo | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 6 | ZOOM Erlebniswelt | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | National Zoo of Malaysia | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 8 | Emirates Park Zoo | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | |
| 9 | Thrissur Zoo | 🇮🇳 India |
Very likely
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Bonnet Macaque sighting in Periyar National Park on a given day, based on 49 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 14 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–April and December
In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Bonnet Macaque in Periyar National Park on a given day, against about 20% in May, the lowest month. Those are among Periyar National Park's driest months, with about 65 mm of rain a month against 410 mm in August.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bonnet Macaque sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Bonnet Macaque sightings, Periyar National Park has the highest daily chance: about 70%. Next come Nagarhole National Park (India, about 70%) and Mudumalai National Park (India, about 50%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bonnet Macaque is recorded against all the mammals logged in Periyar National Park (49 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
