Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
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Figure 11.3. The rhesus macaque population growth at Qasimpur Canal Site after
20 macaques were introduced in 1983.
to confirm this. His estimates of crop loss were similar to those of the owner
of the mango grove north of Aligarh from which we removed 20 monkeys to
establish the Qasimpur group. We do not have estimates of field crop losses in
Aligarh District, but time-sample behavioral observations of roadside groups
at Chatari, north of Aligarh, showed that 10 percent of their total feeding time
was spent on field crops, primarily wheat, grams or pulses (i.e., a type of
bean), and sugarcane, whereas 83 percent of their feeding time was spent on
food handouts from passersby on the road, which came from human food
sources (Siddiqi and Southwick,
1988
). These food handouts, from pedestri-
ans, cart drivers, and occasional motorists, relieved pressure on adjacent field
crops.
In the Himalayan foothills of Himachal Pradesh (HP), northwest India,
where orchard crops are prominent, rhesus are considered a serious problem.
Research on agricultural crop losses by S. K. Sahoo in 46 farmland sites of
six Districts in HP showed District crop losses varied from 11.4 percent to
30.9 percent, averaging 19.4 percent. Major horticultural crops damaged were
apple, pear, cherry, plum, almond, walnut and apricot (Sahoo,
2005
). Major
field crops fed upon by monkeys, primarily rhesus, but also including common
langurs, were maize, wheat, potato, vegetables and pulses. Monetary losses for
these 46 farms were estimated at 5.23 lakhs (520,000 Rupees), or a US dollar
