Population, general behavior and feeding ecology of Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis) in Nagarjun forest of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nepal.

Abstract

Assamese macaque of Nepal is designed as 'Nepal Population’ which is less common primate species and is explored patchily in Nepal. This study is focused on their population, feeding ecology, general behavior and vegetation associated with their feeding in Nagarjun forest of SNNP. Scan sampling and Ad-libitum sampling was used for feeding and behavioral observations and for vegetation analysis random systemic sampling was used. R-software and MS Excel 2007 was used for statistical analysis. A total of 137 Assamese macaque of different five troops were counted during the study in 2012. The mean troop size was found to be 27.4 individuals with group density 0.31 group/km2 and 8.56 individuals/km2 population density. Age-sex composition of macaque comprised 22.45% infants, 18.37% juvenile, 13.26% young, 19.39% adult male and 26.53% adult females. The adult sex ratio and recruitment rate were 0.73 and 0.84 respectively. Four major behaviors were recorded from the selected two troops for behavior study and found that macaques spent 37.86 % of time on feeding, 30.06% of time on resting, 21.88% on moving and 10.18% on social behavior. Chi - square test revealed that there was a significant difference in the behavior pattern according to time of day (χ2=47.24, df=9, p<0.001), according to seasonal change (χ2=20.59, df=3, p<0.001) and between selected two troops (χ2=23.12, df= 3, p<0.001). There was also significant difference in diet composition between two troops of macaque studied (χ2= 98.60, df=3, p< 0.001). Unlike other studies macaques were highly frugivorous during the study period; majority of fruit came from four plant species: Castanopsis tribuloides, Syzygium cumini, Machilus duthiei and Choerospondias axillaris. Macaques were observed foraging on 37 plant species which include 22 families, 28 species of tree, 4 species of vine, 3 species of shrubs and 2 species of herbs. Castanopsis tribuloides, Syzygium cumini and Machilus duthiei accounted for 29.01%, 15.26% and 15.26% respectively of the total plant diet. Tree Species having highest IVI are food plants of macaque. Most of food species in both sites are patchily distributed in space and for food trees Shannon Weaver Diversity Index was 0.699 and 0.82 for two study sites.