Monkey population in HP reduces by 33.5%

The monkey population in Himachal Pradesh has reduced by 33.5%, a spokesperson of the state government said on Monday. He said that a survey was conducted in all

The monkey population in Himachal Pradesh has reduced by 33.5%, a spokesperson of the state government said on Monday. He said that a survey was conducted in all districts of the state barring Lahaul and Spiti. Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History (CASON) Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu,conducted the survey on macaque population and presented the report, he added.

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“The data analysis reveals that the rhesus macaque population has been assessed at 1, 36,443 in comparison to 2, 05,167 of 2015. Similarly, average troupe size has also decreased resulting in lowering of density hotspots from 263 to 226.”

The state forest department has been undertaking various measures for controlling the monkey population. According to the report, a decrease in the population abundance is a result of various measures adopted by the forest department such as mass sterilisation programme, better garbage management, widespread public awareness campaigns, habitat enrichment and declaration of rhesus macaque as vermin in 91 tehsil/sub tehsil and Shimla municipal areas.

He said that eight monkey sterilisation centres are operational in the state, in which 35,000 monkeys are sterilised every year.