Rhesus monkey spotted on tree at Nagarahole

But for Andhra Pradesh & Telangana, there are no records of its habitat in South India

By M.T. Yogesh Kumar

Mysore/Mysuru: Safari goers at Nagarahole Tiger Reserve from Veeranahosahalli Gate, were a thrilled lot after spotting a Rhesus monkey perched on an old tree branch. It is for the first time this species has been spotted at Nagarahole as they are limited to North India and parts of Andhra Pradesh  and Telangana.

In Karnataka, they are found only in zoos and not in forests and as such, the sighting has surprised wildlife enthusiasts. It was sighted on Kutta Main Road, leading from Veeranahosahalli Gate near Moorkal at about 8.45 am on Jan. 26.

The safari-goers saw the lone monkey crossing the road and climbing a tree and the tourists in the safari vehicle operated by Jungle Lodges and Resorts saw it first and immediately were able to tell the species. Later, tourists in the safari vehicle spotted it and captured the photos.

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are macaques belonging to the primate family Cercopithecidae. These medium-sized monkeys are coloured from golden-brown to grey-brown. Rhesus monkeys spend most of their time on the ground, although they take to trees readily and have great agility in climbing and leaping.

Rhesus monkeys have the widest geographic distribution and can be found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and China. In India, they live in Rajasthan, Gangetic Basin and at times in the tropical forests of the southeast.

But how did the species land up in Nagarahole as they are mainly found in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana? Wildlife enthusiasts suspect that this Rhesus monkey might have entered Nagarahole in a goods vehicle from Andhra or Telangana or might have escaped from its capturers or it might have been released into Nagarahole by someone.

Naturalist and wildlife conservationist M.K. Sapta Girish told Star of Mysore that the increased population of Rhesus monkeys in North India was making them migrate to southern parts and forming habitats.

Pointing out that these monkeys are found in a group of 20 to 200, he said that apart from zoos in Karnataka, there are no clear information about the presence of Rhesus monkeys in any forests of the State.

“Their population is gradually expanding towards the South and could be a major threat to the endemic Bonnet macaque,” Girish opined.

Wildlife Conservation Foundation Head Rajkumar D. Devaraj Urs claimed that there are no records of the presence of Rhesus monkeys in South India. It is common for these monkeys to climb vegetable trucks and one among them might have accidentally climbed onto a truck and could have entered Hunsur or Kodagu and later it could have landed up in the forest. 

Rhesus monkeys can thrive in a variety of climates and habitats. Their natural diet consists of fruits, seeds, roots, herbs, and insects. But in areas of human habitation, they also eat crops and                                              forage garbage.

Rhesus monkeys live in groups consisting of several adults of both sexes and their young. Males leave the troop at maturity whereas females tend to stay in the troops in which they were born forming consistent lineages and social traditions within the group.

Rhesus monkey is held sacred in some parts of the country and is especially common around temples. Here groups may number 50 to 200 or more, whereas in forests 12 to 20 is usual. Rhesus monkeys are used extensively in biomedical research, pharmaceutical testing and vaccine production.