Study of Population, General Behaviour and Human- Monkey Conflict of Assamese Monkey( Macaca Assamensis Mcclelland,1840)in Ramdi, Palpa,Nepal)
Date
2016
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Zoology
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.
Description
Keywords
Assamese monkey, Animal behaviour