Study of Population, General Behaviour and Human- Monkey Conflict of Assamese Monkey( Macaca Assamensis Mcclelland,1840)in Ramdi, Palpa,Nepal)

Abstract

The study entitled as “Study of population, general behaviour and human-monkey conflict of Assamese monkey (Macaca assamensis Mcclelland, 1840) in Ramdi, Palpa, Nepal” was carried with the major objective of analyzing Population, Behaviours and human- monkey conflict in Ramdi Area. The study site covers the total area of ward no. 2 and 9 in Khanichhap VDC in Palpa, Ward No. 2 and 6 in Darlamdanda VDC in Palpa and Ward No. 6 in Malunga VDC in Syangja Districts. Two troops of Assamese monkey with total population of 48 were recorded in study area. The mean troop size was found to be 24 individuals. The group density was 0.33 groups / km² with a population density of 6 individuals/ km². Age-sex composition of macaque comprised 12.5% infants, 27.08% juvenile, 37.5% young, 8.33% adult male and 14.58% adult females. The adult sex ratio and birth rate were 0.57 and 0.85 respectively. Five major behaviors were recorded from the selected two troops for behavior study and found that macaques spent 43.96 % of time on feeding, 26.24% of time on resting, 21.99% on grooming, 4.14% on foraging, and 3.65% on moving behavior. According to the vegetation study, 5 major tree plant species contributed 64.81% of the total plant density. Out of total 91 trees of different 16 species, these 5 major species consists a total of 59 trees. Only 1 major tree plant species were food plants of Assamese monkey. It indicates that scarcity of food plants. There for level of Human-Monkey Conflict is high in Ramdi area because of scarcity of food. Crop damage (reported by 69% respondents, N = 100), grabbing/taking of food materials and clothes (reported by 47 % respondents), damaging electric cables moving over it (reported by 1 % respondents); biting/scratching (reported by 1% respondents) and others were the monkey related problems in the study area. Crop mostly eaten includes maize (35%), Vegetables (20%), pulses (13%), fruits (13%), Wheat (11%), potato (6%), Rice (2%) were found to be damaged by the monkey in the study site. However crops like lady‟s finger, peas, soya beans, coriander, ginger, turmeric and chilly were less preferred by the monkey. Catapult (reported by 97% respondents; N = 100); scolding and charging (reported by 1% respondents); etc. were the common deterrent methods against monkeys. Food scarcity (reported by 78% respondents; N = 100); increasing population of monkey (reported by 33% respondents); monkey habitat loss (reported by 3% respondents) were reported as the causes of increasing monkey problems. Most respondents i.e. 60% (N = 100) said that their compound is invaded by monkey 2-3 days, followed by daily, weekly etc. According to 59% respondent monkey are mostly active in morning time i.e. 5am11am and they create great problem to local people. Artificial provisioning by other, 37%

respondent

reported that they had seen the artificial provisioning by other people like Tourists, pilgrims, local visitors. In Ramdi area monkey are habituate by provisioning of waste foods therefore they come and create conflict. Due to this their diet, home range, habitat and behavior were also change.