Envis Bulletin Wildlife and Protected Areas V. 1, no.1, December 2001 Wildlife Institute of India 2002 DIRECTOR'S NOTE This issue of ENVIS deals with non-human primates that belong to the highest mammalian order-Primates. Evolutionarily, biologically, and culturally, non-human primates are the closest relatives of humans. A shared ancestry with humans is responsible for many common characteristics in non-human primates-tool use, long- lasting social relationships, physiological characteristics, etc. The association between human and non-human primates has been close and intricate, more so in the Indian subcontinent due to the emotional and poignant coalescing of non-human primates with Hindu mythology. The study of non-human primates has also contributed to the understanding of basic biological phenomena, human diseases, social behaviour, and life- styles of human societies. Non-human primates, comprising monkeys, langurs, apes, lemurs, and lords, etc. inhabit most part of the biodiversity rich, 4 major biogeographical tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They perform ecological services such as seed dispersers, pollinators' primary consumers, and as food for top predators. They are, therefore, good indicators of the general health of the ecosystem and are helpful in conservation planning. With 63 genera and 620 species/subspecies, non-human primates are represented in about 92 countries, Brazil topping the list with 77 species. A total of 21 species are recorded from the Indian subcontinent including Sri Lanka. India with 15 species is notable more for their abundance, commensalism, and diversity of habitat across the length and breadth of the country. None of the wildlife species is as indicative of the two 'hot-spots' in India as non-human primates are with their concentration and endemic status in and around the Northeastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats. Compared to their very vital and important roles in sustaining the biodiversity rich tropical and sub-tropical habitat of the country, non-human primates have received very little or no attention from researchers, conservationists, and planners. The recent spurt in man-monkey conflict cases, involving a few commensal primate species, has added further to their tribulations. The conservation threat, which was hitherto limited only to those non-human primate species that were fast losing their wild habitat, has now swathed even these commensal species. The age-old cultural and religious fervour to protect the 'Hindu god' is quickly giving way to hostility and antipathy. Although 9 out of 15 non-human primate species are included in schedule I(1), and the remaining 6 in Schedule II(II) of the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 1991, yet, there seems to be no let-up in their conservation threat perception. The colossal information gap and dearth of proper database on taxonomy, ecology, behaviour, and conservation issues for most of the non-human primates species in India is the main reason why authorities have not been able to take proper conservation measures. The Wildlife Institute of India has been a pioneer in initiating detailed in situ and ex situ studies on some of the highly endangered primate species, and continues to conduct such studies as regular annual research activities. This ENVIS issue on 'Non-Human Primates of India' is yet another landmark attempt in furthering the cause and concerns of this fascinating group of animals, whose study is directly linked with the welfare if the human society. Further, conservation of a natural ecosystem at a landscape level should be considered for reducing the man-monkey conflict. S.K. Mukherjee Director, WII and Team Leader, ENVIS Centre Wildlife Institute of India CONTENTS Director's Note vii Introduction 1. Non-Human Primates of India: An Introduction 1 A.K. Gupta Species Profile 1.The Bonnet Macaque Revisited: Ecology, Demography, and Behaviour 30 Anindya Sinha 2.The Lion-Tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus): Life History, Ecology, Distribution and Conservation 40 Ajith Kumar 3. Ecology and Conservation of Nilgiri Langur ( Trachypithecus johnii) 49 S.F. Wesley Sunderraj 4. Hoolock Gibbon (Bunopithecus hoolock) 60 J. P. Sati & J.R.B. Alfred 5. Indian Rhesus Macaque: Habitat, Ecology and Activity Patterns of Naturally Occurring Populations 68 P.K. Seth, P.K Chopra & S. Seth Status Reports 1. Status, Conservation and Management of Primates in India 81 Charles H. Southwick & M.F. Siddiqi 2. Primates in Northeast India: An Overview of their Distribution and Conservation Status 92 Anwaruddin Choudhury 3. Distribution, Conservation Status and Priorities for Primates in Northeast India 102 A. Srivastava & S.M. Mohnot 4. Status of Primates in Andhra Pradesh 109 C. Srinivasulu & V. Nagulu 5. Status and Distribution of Primates in Arunachal Pradesh 113 D.N. Singh 6. Primates of the Amarkantak Forests, Madhya Pradesh 120 R.J. Rao & Abbishek Bhatnagar 7. Status of Primates in Orissa 124 L.N. Acharjyo 8. Status of Primates in Tripura 127 A.K. Gupta 9. Status and Conservation of Non-Human Primates in India 136 R.P. Mukherjee Ex-Situ Initiatives in Conservation 1. Problems of Prioritizing Primate Species for Captive Breeding in Indian Zoos 138 Sally Walker & Sanjay Molur 2. Status of Captive Primates in Indian Zoos 152 P.R. Sinha & Bipul Chakraborty 3. Conservation Assessment and Management Plan Workshop for South Asian Primates-Red Listing at the Regional Level 165 Sally Walker & Sanjay Molur Primate-Human Interface 1. Monkey Menace-Who is Responsible? 169 Iqbal Malik 2. Monkeys in and around Jaipur: A Profile 172 P.S. Bhatnagaar & R. Mathur Trade in Primates 1. Illegal Trade and Utilization of Primates in India 177 Abrar Ahmed 2. Traditional Trapping Techniques of Primates in India 185 Rajat Bhargava Selected Bibliography on Indian Primates 189 D.P. Rath List of Contributors 232 Mailbag 234 WHERE TO ORDER Wildlife Institute of India Post Box #18 Chandrabani, Dehradun 248 001 Tel: (0135) 640111-115 Fax: (0135) 640117 Email: envis@wii.gov.in Web site: www.wii.gov.in (to download) Posted Date: 10-11-02
URL: http://www.primate.wisc.edu/pin/review/primofindia.html
Page last modified:
October 11, 2002
Maintained by the WPRC Library