In the wild, colobids spend at least 50% of the day feeding. In managed care they are offered food several times a day.
There is considerable play within a family group. Animals of the same age tend to play together
Social grooming in the wild occurs most frequently in the afternoon, before napping. Episodes last a few seconds to 1 hour
Sleep in elevated positions; pairs sleep together and females sleep with their offspring
Social Behavior
Group size is variable depending on habitat and human disturbance. Sightings range from 3-50. Solitary animals have also been observed
Groups are overwhelmingly multi-male and multi-female with a sex ratio of 2.5 females to each male.
Both male and female dispersal occurs. Females probably leave as a result of female- female aggression. Juvenile males disperse and join all-male or non-reproductive groups of both sexes.
Female association attributed to kinship and spatial distribution of preferred food resources. (Unripe Fruit/seeds)
Colobine aggression increases with group size
Alloparental care as with most Asian colobine species (gives mother time to forage, ensures social integration of new infants and improved parenting skills)
Allogrooming somewhat more frequent than solitary auto grooming. Seen frequently among females. Males invited grooming but infrequently reciprocated.
Communication
Displays / Visual signals
Male observed to "threaten" intruders by brachiating back and forth. May leap toward an intruder. Then quickly retreat
Rapid jumping from branch to branch combined with hand slapping
Panic diarrhea common
Threatening behavior toward others by males after the birth of a new born: flattening ears against the head, stretching the neck forward and making threatening growls
Vocalizations
Make few vocalizations. Most are very soft.
Threat elicits a loud call or bark
Low pitched growl given as a threat to others
Loss of a long-time mate elicited several days of mournful howling in one male
Territorial Behavior
Territory
Group ranges overlap considerably
Ability to exploit mature foliage which is available year round may explain why colobines appear to be less aggressive than non-colobines
Other Behaviors
Play
Considerable play in a family group. During first few months, infants engage in hopping, running, jumping and climbing.
Usually directed at social partner or animal of same age
To initiate play an animal throws back its head and opens its mouth
Interspecies Interactions
Dominance hierarchies among managed care groups
Female-female allogrooming
Intragroup relationships in wild poorly documented presumably because of poor visibility of arboreal species
Ethogram: available in Abbot et al. (1997-2000), Douc langur project, p. 10: Table 4
Locomotion
Quadrupedal movement though established arboreal pathways
Little brachiation or bipedal locomotion
Horizontal jumps begin like a dive, arms held above the head and legs thrust forward. Able to Land on rear feet 5-6 m away
