The population of monkeys has reduced in Himachal Pradesh by 33.5 per cent a spokesperson of the State Government said on Monday, saying this came out in a survey on population of macaques conducted in the state, except for Lahaul-Spiti.
Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History (CASON) Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu assessed the population of macaque and presented its report to the State Government recently.
The analysis of the data reveals that the rhesus macaque population has been assessed at 136,443 in comparison to 205,167 of 2015, which is the 33.5 percent decrease in population. Similarly, average troupe size has also decreased resulting in lowering of density hotspots from 263 to 226.
The spokesperson said Himachal Pradesh Forest Department has been undertaking various measures for controlling the population of rhesus macaque. According to the report decrease in the population 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 model adopted by the State and declaration of rhesus macaque has vermin in 91 Tehsil and Sub Tehsil and Shimla Municipal area.
He said that eight Monkey Sterilisation Centers are operational in the State, in which 35 thousand monkeys are sterilized ever year. In all, 162,000 monkeys have been sterilized till date and this has prevented births of more than 5 lakh monkeys.