Primate's best friend

March 2, 2011

In Rajasthan, India, Hanuman langurs groom a feral dog

Photo by Cyril Ruoso/JH Editorial/MINDEN PICTURES

"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." — Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince

In Rajasthan, India, Hanuman langurs groom a feral dog. Primates use grooming to form social bonds, and langurs often extend the courtesy to other species. Though they're sacred in India, Hanumans (named after a Hindu god) are decreasing in number because of habitat loss.