The lion-tailed macaque is one of 16 species of macaques, which have a broad range extending from Gibraltar to Japan. However, the lion-tailed macaque is restricted to small, isolated patches of evergreen tropical forest in the Western Ghats of India.

Omnivorous in nature, the lion-tailed macaque's diet consists mainly of fruit, insects, eggs, and occasionally small animals. It also uses its cheek pouches to store food while foraging.
These macaques live in troops of 10 to 20 individuals, typically led by a dominant male. When young males reach maturity, they leave the troop and form bachelor groups, while young females tend to remain in their natural groups, forming strong bonds with their mothers. Females give birth every three to four years, and the species can live up to 20 years in the wild, though they can reach 30 years in captivity.

With fewer than 2,500 individuals remaining in the wild, the lion-tailed macaque is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is threatened by habitat loss due to logging and agriculture and is also hunted for its meat and fur. Only about 1% of its original habitat remains, and Europe’s captive population now represents about 5% of the remaining global population.

The lion-tailed macaque is highly adapted to its forest environment, making it unable to thrive in habitats altered by human activity. Although they rarely come to the ground, they are excellent swimmers and are quadrupedal meaning they can walk on all four limbs.

The lion-tailed macaque troop at Fota is one of the largest in Europe. The group includes a dominant male and two distinct families, each led by a dominant female. Smaller groups of juveniles are active throughout the day, engaging in play and exploration. Fota participates in an important breeding programme to help preserve this endangered species. The monkeys are fed a diet of monkey chow (specialised diet for monkeys), fresh produce, and nuts, and they also gather crabs from the lake.