Population density of rhesus monkey, Macaca mulatta (Zimmermann, 1780) in saraswati plantation wildlife sanctuary in district Kurukshetra, Haryana (India)

Abstract

Line transect method was used during study period from February, 2008 to January, 2009 to record population density of Rhesus Monkey, Macaca mulatta (Zimmermann, 1780) in Saraswati Plantation Wildlife Sanctuary in district Kurukshetra, Haryana (India). During monthly periodic visits average population density/Km2 of sighted rhesus macaques varied from a minimum of 90.27 individuals/Km2 (July, 2008, December, 2008) to a maximum of 183.33 individuals /Km2 (April, 2008) with an average of 132.63±5.95 individuals/Km2 were recorded in Saraswati Plantation Wildlife Sanctuary in district Kurukshetra, Haryana (India). Seasonal variation in average population density/Km2 of sighted rhesus macaques varied from a minimum of 354.16 individuals/Km2 (winter season) to a maximum of 476.38 individuals/Km2 (summer season) were recorded from the study period in Saraswati Plantation Wildlife Sanctuary. No significant difference (p≤0.05) in average population density of sighted individuals of all males, all females, juveniles and infants in different seasons were recorded in Saraswati Plantation Wildlife Sanctuary of district Kurukshetra, Haryana (India). Conflicts with man and his pets (domestic dog, Canis familiaris), habitat destruction through illegal felling, less numbers of fruit trees and shifting of rhesus macaques for feeding in particular day, i.e., Tuesday and Friday as well as in particular season nearby agricultural areas, villages areas and Hanuman Mandir (a holy temple) were the major reasons in monthly as well as seasonally variation in population density of Rhesus Macaques, Macaca mulatta in Saraswati Plantation Wildlife Sanctuary in district Kurukshetra, Haryana (India).