Lion-tailed macaques numbers realized rising in non-safe areas on account of availability of food.
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Within the fragmented former rainforests of Anamalai Hills, an not going conservation paradox is unfolding. The lion-tailed macaque — one of India’s most endangered primates — appears to be thriving not within the deep, undisturbed forests, nonetheless amid bustling human process: plantations, tourist trails, hydel projects and expanding boulevard networks.
This enhance previous the woodland’s protective boundaries could presumably seem love a uncommon conservation success for a species already grappling with habitat loss. But scientists warn that rising populations in non‑safe areas could presumably grow to be a prolonged-duration of time risk in put of a victory.
Researchers from three institutions, including the CSIR–Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), warning that the expand is driven largely by easy accessibility to food associated with human presence. But this dependence, they command, also exposes the macaques to greater risks — from boulevard accidents and electrocution to intensifying tourism and logging.
Drawing on data from a 40-365 days search in each place in the fragmented forests of the Anamalai Hills within the Western Ghats, scientists realized that macaque populations inner safe forests dwell demographically unswerving. Even supposing enhance is slower, these teams display cloak more fit age–sex ratios, including a stronger presence of adult females.
The search adopted 37 macaque teams from destroy of day to dusk all over 10 rainforest fragments. Of these, 29 teams lived inner safe areas, equivalent to tiger reserves, while eight teams occupied non-safe spaces love tea, coffee, and teak plantations, human settlements, and livestock-grazing areas.
These unprotected zones offer an abundance of fruit-bearing bushes and mark heavy tourist and vehicular circulate. Garbage piles and food extinguish create extra, readily accessible food sources for the macaques. Whereas starting up charges did not fluctuate vastly between safe and non-safe areas, population balance was as soon as seriously bigger inner safe forests. Group sizes in these areas showed a unpleasant correlation with canopy height — a reminder that an intact canopy stays obligatory for this arboreal species.
Highlighting prolonged-duration of time risks from increasing human disturbance, boulevard constructing and vitality infrastructure, the scientists name for urgent interventions to defend canopy continuity. Such measures, they command, are severe to preventing accidents as monkeys bolt searching out food.
Web page visitors law at inclined aspects, imposing flee limits, installing flee breakers at natural world crossing zones and controlling tourist inflows into sensitive habitats could presumably vastly decrease mortality. Pilot efforts in Tamil Nadu have already confirmed promise and ought to peaceable be scaled up, Chief Scientist at CCMB’s Laboratory for Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) mentioned G. Umapathy.
Other researchers within the venture — Sanatanu Mahato and H. N. Kumara of the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (Coimbatore), and Mrudala Singh and Mewa Singh of the University of Mysore — stress the want for a comprehensive management belief for the lion-tailed macaque. This form of technique could presumably operate a model for assorted parts of the Western Ghats, a world biodiversity hotspot. Their findings seem within the most modern pain of the Journal for Nature Conservation.
Printed – February 11, 2026 10:34 pm IST
