In Krabi province, we have 4 species of monkeys: Dusky Langurs, Crab-eating Macaques, Gibbons, and Stump-tailed Macaques. Some can be readily seen, and others are hidden high in the tree canopy.
4 Species of Monkey in Krabi, Thailand
Crab-eating Macaques

Macaca fascicularis, commonly known as the long-tailed macaque or crab-eating macaque, is a species of Old World monkey found in Southeast Asia and is much more widely distributed than other monkeys listed on this page. Here is some more information about the long-tailed macaques.
(In Thai: ลิงแสมกินปู)
Physical Appearance – Long-tailed macaques have a relatively robust build with a medium-sized body. They have a short, brownish-gray to dark gray fur covering most of their body. The tail is long and often longer than the body length, hence the name “long-tailed macaque.” They have a hairless face with prominent cheek pouches.
Distribution – The long-tailed macaque has a wide distribution across Southeast Asia. They are found in countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and other neighboring regions. They inhabit a variety of habitats, including rainforests, mangroves, coastal regions, and urban areas.
Social Structure – Long-tailed macaques live in large social groups known as troops. These troops can consist of several individuals, ranging from tens to over a hundred. The troops are organized hierarchically, with dominant individuals having priority access to resources and mating opportunities. Within the group, various social interactions and behaviors are observed, including grooming, playing, and communication.
Diet – Long-tailed macaques are omnivorous, meaning they have a varied diet. They feed on a wide range of food items, including fruits, leaves, flowers, seeds, insects, small vertebrates, and even human food scraps. Their opportunistic feeding behavior allows them to adapt to different environments and food sources.
Behavior – Long-tailed macaques are diurnal, being active during the daytime. They are excellent climbers and spend a significant amount of time in trees. However, they are also comfortable on the ground and can be frequently observed foraging for food or exploring their surroundings. They are highly adaptable and can thrive in both natural and human-modified habitats.
Conservation Status – The conservation status of long-tailed macaques is currently classified as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, local populations may face threats due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and conflicts with humans. In some areas, they are considered agricultural pests or hunted for their meat.
It’s important to note that long-tailed macaques are often involved in human-wildlife conflict, especially in urban areas, where they may come into contact with humans and raid crops or food sources. Appropriate measures are required to manage these conflicts while ensuring the conservation of this species and their natural habitats.
Crab-Eating Macaques in Krabi
These are the most common monkeys in Krabi. You can see them at Wat Tham Seua (Tiger Temple) easily any day of the week. Macaques can be dangerous at times and just mischievous at others. They do carry ticks, so if you are touched by them or get too close, check yourself for ticks after you visit the temple.
The Crab Eating Macaques can also be found at the Monkey Trail in Ao Nang Beach. The monkeys here are not kind, and you should be on high alert so you don’t lose your phone, glasses, bags, backpack, or just food items.
Dusky Leaf Monkey (Spectacled Langur)

Trachypithecus obscurus, Reid, 1837
(In Thai: ค่างแว่นถิ่นใต้)
The dusky leaf monkey, spectacled langur, or spectacled leaf monkey (Trachypithecus obscurus) is a species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is found in Malaysia, Burma, and Thailand.
Trachypithecus obscurus, commonly known as the dusky leaf monkey or spectacled langur, is a species of Old World monkey found in Southeast Asia. Here is some information about Trachypithecus obscurus:
Physical Appearance: Dusky leaf monkeys have a distinctive appearance. Adults have a dark gray to black coat, while infants have a bright orange fur that gradually changes to the adult coloration. They have a white or cream-colored ring around their eyes, which gives them the name “spectacled langur.” They also have long limbs and a long tail, which helps with their arboreal lifestyle.
Distribution: The dusky leaf monkey is native to various countries in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, and parts of Indonesia. They inhabit different types of forests, including lowland rainforests, mangroves, and coastal forests.
Social Structure: Dusky leaf monkeys live in social groups, usually consisting of several adult females and their offspring. Males may form bachelor groups or live solitarily. Within the group, females play a central role in social dynamics and take care of their young collectively. They have a complex social structure and communicate through vocalizations, facial expressions, and body postures.
Diet: Dusky leaf monkeys are primarily herbivorous and folivorous, meaning their diet consists mainly of leaves, young shoots, and fruits. They have a specialized digestive system that allows them to efficiently process plant material. They have been observed selectively feeding on leaves high in nutrients and avoiding those with toxins.
Behavior: These monkeys are highly arboreal, spending most of their time in trees. They are excellent climbers and have adaptations such as long limbs and a prehensile tail, which aids in their arboreal locomotion. Dusky leaf monkeys are generally active during the day and rest or sleep in trees at night.
Conservation Status: The conservation status of dusky leaf monkeys is classified as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They face threats such as habitat loss due to deforestation, fragmentation, and conversion of forests for agriculture. Additionally, they are sometimes hunted for their meat and are affected by the illegal pet trade.
Conservation efforts are crucial to protect the habitat of dusky leaf monkeys and ensure their long-term survival. Preserving their forest habitats, raising awareness about their ecological importance, and combating illegal hunting and trade are important steps in their conservation.
Dusky Leaf Monkeys in Krabi
One place you can find these monkeys is in the national park in Tub Kaak where you climb the Dragon’s Crest trail up the mountain. These monkeys can be right above the trail on a steep section. You will hear them moving (jumping) through the trees. You may hear some slight vocalizations. These monkeys never come down to the trail when people are there and quickly climb into the high tree canopy if people are seen or heard.
Stump-tailed Macaques

Thai: ลิงเสน
Macaca arctoides, Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1831
(In Thai: ลิงเสน)
The stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides), also called the bear macaque, is a species of macaque found in South Asia. In India, it is found in south of the Brahmaputra River, in the northeastern part of the country. Its range in India extends from Assam and Meghalaya to eastern Aruanchal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
It is primarily frugivorous, but eats many types of vegetation, such as seeds, leaves and roots, but also hunts freshwater crabs, frogs, bird eggs and insects.
Physical characteristics: The stump-tailed macaque has long, thick, dark brown fur covering its body, but its face and its short tail, which measures between 32 and 69mm, is hairless. Infants are born white and darken as they mature. As they age, their bright pink or red faces darken to brown or nearly black and lose most of their hair.
Males are larger than females, measuring 51.7-65cm long and weighing 9.7-10.2kg, while females measure 48.5-58.5cm and weigh 7.5-9.1kg. Males’ canine teeth, which are important for establishing dominance within social groups, are more elongated than those of the females. Like all macaques, this species has cheek pouches to store food for short periods of time.
Habitat: This Old World monkey travels quadrupedally, usually on the ground, as it is not very agile in trees. It is generally found in subtropical and tropical broadleaf evergreen forests, in different elevations depending on the amount of rainfall in the area. It depends on rainforests for food and shelter, and is not found in dry forests except where it ranges in the Himalayan region of India, only spending time in secondary forests if it is bordering primary tropical forests.
With its thick fur, the stump-tailed macaque can live in cold climates, up to 4, 000 meters.It is distributed from northeastern India and southern China into the northwest tip of West Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. It is also found in Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, and far eastern Bangladesh.
Macaca arctoides, commonly known as the stumptail macaque or bear macaque, is a species of Old World monkey found in Southeast Asia. Here is some information about Macaca arctoides:
Physical Appearance: Stumptail macaques are medium-sized monkeys with a robust build. They have a dark brown to grayish-brown fur covering their body, while their face is hairless and often pinkish. As their name suggests, they have a relatively short tail compared to other macaque species.
Distribution: The stumptail macaque is native to Southeast Asia. Its range includes countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia (Sumatra and Borneo), Myanmar, and parts of the Philippines. They inhabit a variety of forested habitats, including primary and secondary forests as well as mangroves.
Social Structure: Stumptail macaques live in multi-male, multi-female social groups. These groups can consist of several individuals, ranging from a few to around 50 members. Within the group, a hierarchy exists, with dominant individuals having priority access to resources such as food and mates.
Diet: Stumptail macaques are omnivorous, meaning they have a varied diet. They feed on a wide range of food items, including fruits, leaves, flowers, insects, small vertebrates, bird eggs, and tree sap. Their diet can vary depending on the availability of food in their habitat.
Behavior: Stumptail macaques are diurnal, meaning they are active during the daytime. They spend most of their time on the ground but are also capable climbers. These macaques are known for their adaptability to different habitats and can thrive in disturbed or human-modified environments.
Conservation Status: The conservation status of stumptail macaques is classified as “Least Concern” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, their populations may be declining due to habitat loss, fragmentation, and hunting for meat or the pet trade. In some regions, they may also face conflicts with humans due to crop raiding.
As with any wildlife, it is important to respect and protect the natural habitats of stumptail macaques. Conservation efforts focused on preserving their habitats and mitigating human-wildlife conflicts are crucial for the long-term survival of these monkeys in the wild.
Stumptailed Macaques in Krabi
In and around Krabi, this monkey is found in Krabi, Surat Thani (Khao Sok National Park), and Nakhon Si Thammarat (Khao Luang).
Since they are threatened as a group, we don’t give out the location to everyone here at the website but if you are interested in them from a conservation standpoint we may share the couple of locations of the resident troop here in Krabi.
Gibbons

Scientific Name: Hylobates lar, Linnaeus, 1771
In Thai: ชะนีมือขาว (Cha-nee Mue Khao)
The white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar), also known as the lar gibbon, is a species of small ape (not monkey) in the Hylobatidae family. It is found in Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, and parts of Sumatra. Here is some detailed information about Hylobates lar:
Physical Appearance: White-handed gibbons are small apes with distinctive long arms adapted for brachiation (swinging through trees). They range in color from light cream to dark brown, with a characteristic white ring around their faces and white hands and feet. Unlike monkeys, they lack tails and have a more upright posture.
Distribution: White-handed gibbons are primarily found in Southeast Asia, including various regions of Thailand. They inhabit tropical rainforests, primarily in dense and mature forests, where they occupy the middle and upper canopy layers. They prefer undisturbed forests and are sensitive to habitat fragmentation.
Social Structure: These gibbons are highly social and monogamous, living in small family groups consisting of a mated pair and their offspring. Both males and females participate in territorial defense, often using loud, melodious calls to communicate and establish their presence. Family bonds are strong, and young gibbons remain with their parents for several years before becoming independent.
Diet: Gibbons are frugivorous, meaning they primarily eat fruit, but their diet also includes leaves, flowers, and small insects. Their preference for fruit makes them important seed dispersers in the ecosystem. They have been observed selecting a wide variety of fruiting trees depending on seasonal availability.
Behavior: White-handed gibbons are expert brachiators, moving effortlessly through the forest canopy using their long arms. They are diurnal, spending their active hours feeding, socializing, and resting in the trees. Their territorial songs, often performed as duets by the pair, can be heard echoing through the forest in the early mornings.
Conservation Status: The white-handed gibbon is classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Threats to their population include habitat loss due to deforestation, agriculture, and urban expansion. They are also impacted by illegal hunting and the pet trade.
Conservation Efforts: Efforts to protect gibbons include the preservation and restoration of their forest habitats, enforcement of anti-poaching laws, and raising awareness about their role in maintaining forest ecosystems. Wildlife sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers in Thailand play a key role in the conservation and reintroduction of gibbons into the wild.
Gibbons in Krabi
There are some gibbons in the national park in Tub Kaek where you can walk up the mountain on the Dragon’s Crest Trail. These are heard almost always in the morning hours and are far away from the trail on a hillside where people cannot reach easily. It isn’t every day that you’d hear them, but since we climb the trail often we hear them often.
There was a gibbon trapped in a small cage at a Buddhist temple along Highway 4 in Krabi on the way from Krabi to Ao Luk. It was there for years. We didn’t know the species was endangered at first, but when we found out, we immediately contacted a Thailand animal protection group and they were able to have the gibbon moved to a better environment at one of their Thailand sanctuaries.
There are/were gibbons kept in cages in Surat Thani just north of Krabi at a small park managed by the city. We will check to see if they are still there next time we travel there.