Pakistan Wildlife

Rhesus Macaque

(Macaca Mulatta)

PHOTO CREDIT: Frithfoto

Local name: Bandar (Urdu)

Description and Biology:

APPEARANCE: Rhesus macaques are brown and adults have a red face and rump. The underparts are lighter brown. The tail is medium lenght and the hair on the top of the head is short. The locomotion is quadrupedal.

SIZE: Rhesus monkeys weigh 5.6-10.9kg (males), 4-10.9kg (females), and the body length is 470-531mm for females and 483-635mm for males.

REPRODUCTION: The mating season is variable, usually March-Jun. The female's bright red bottom indicates estrus. Subadults males have a pink scrotum: adult males have a red scrotum. The monkeys reach sexual maturity at 48-72months and the gestation period is 164 days.

SOCIAL SYSTEM: The Rhesus monkey has a multimale-multifemale social structure. They usually have a 2-tiered class system. A female associates with and supports the family and class in a strict female-bonded matrilineal hierarchy. Males are dominant to females but are peripheral to the group and change groups every few years. The group size varies from 10-50.

The Rhesus monkeys are diurnal, mostly terrestrial, and partly arboreal. Rhesus monkeys often reconcile after and aggressive interaction by lip smacking and embracing. Often when treatened by a dominant, subordinates redirect their aggression by threatening low-ranking bystanders.These monkeys spend about 10-13% of their daily activity on grooming. Thy feed at heights to 10 meters above the ground. In Pakistan some 45% of the day is spend feeding. Rhesus monkeys are quiet tolerant of human disturbances and are found quiet close to cities.

DIET: The main diet is fruits, seeds, leaves, gums, buds, grass, clover, roots, bark, resin, and small invertebrates. Rhesus monkeys raid crops. In the dry season they drink 3-4 times per day ( all above information from "The Pictorial Guide to The Living Primates," Pagonias Press, Newyork).

Habitat and Distribution:

This species of primate can live in a variety of habitats. This animal mostly inhabits mountainous regions of the moist temperate forest and also found in dry temperate forest. The characteristic vegetation of the habitat of this animal is given below:

  Picea smithiana, pinus wallichiana, Cedrus deodara, pinus roxburghii, pinus geradiana, Quercus dilatata, Acer caesium, populus ciliata, Taxus baccata, Abies pindrow, Indigofera gerardiana, sambucus ebulus, Sobaria tomentosa, Plectranthus rugosus, Berberis ceratophyalla, B. Quercus incana, Berberis Iycium, Carissa spp, Cotoneaster spp.

Rhesus monkeys are mainly found in the northern hill regions of Murree, Swat, Khagan, Azad Kashmir and Chitral. This animal occurs throughout the high hills of Hazara and Malakand civil divisions. It is also found in Sakra mountain range in Mardan civil division. They are also found in the Margalla Hills. The Rhesus monkey is still common in Pakistan, but it is trapped by local people and sold to local gypsies or "Kalanders" to entertain people in big cities. It also comes into conflict with farmers, due to its nature of raiding crops.

Recent Sightings and Population Surveys:

Surveys:

N.W.F.P Wildlife Department 1997 survey of Wildlife. Results for Rhesus Monkey  in the Province

District			Place				No. of animals recorded

Mardan 			Sakra Hills 				60
			Sudham Game Reserve			10
Swat			Alpuri					420
			Matta, Beha, Roringar			310
			Babuzai, Malam Jabba,			100
			Marghuzar, Islampur 			130
			Najigram 					170
			Kalam Block, Mahodand Game		460
			Reserve

Buner			Nan seer/Kingar Gali, Mehr Dara, 		565
			Karakar, pribaba, Gokand etc.		
			Amazi Block				70
			Chamala Block 				85
			Changharzi and Gagra Block 			295
Dir 			Sheringal					692
			DirBlock					343
Abbottabad 		Traawal 					600
			Birnagali-silkot				410
			Namli Maira-Bagnotar 			315
			Nathiagali-kalabagh				245
			Ayubia national park 			412
			Kuza Gali-Barian				275
Mansehara 		Battal -Balija				320
			Massar - kund 				360
			Hillan Battagram 				192
			Lachi Khan- Khashian 			200
			Shogran -Malakandi				423
			Manshi wilidlife sancturay 			245
			Nagan-Nadi-Musala				225
			Kamal Ban-Kaghan				270
			Bhunja - Kalah 				192
			Bichal Manur 				210
			Gangwal (Allai) 				292
			Beari Chor 				281
			Pashto 					193
			Ganthar (Allai)				100
Kohistan			Pattan -Keyal				219
			Pallas 					395
			Bankud- dubair 				142
			Jalkot 					227
Haripur			Khanpur Range 				45
			Makhnial Range 				345
							Total:	10843	

 

 

Hanuman or Grey Langur

( Semnopithecus Entellus)

PHOTO CREDIT: Brimingham Zoo

Local name: Langur (Urdu)

Description and Biology:

APPEARANCE: The Hanuman Langur's coloration varies across subspecies, from gray to dark brown to golden, with varying amounts of black. The locomotion is quadrupedal.

SIZE: Langurs weigh 18.3kg (males), 11.2kg (females), and the body length is 406-680mm for females and 510-780mm for males.

REPRODUCTION: The monkeys reach sexual maturity at 46.5-47 months and the gestation period is 168-200 days.

SOCIAL SYSTEM: Langurs have variable socail structure. 1-male-multifemale, multimale-mutifemale. Larger groups may break into subgroups in some seasons. The male defends his mates: females defend their resources. Average group size is 11-64 individuals.

The Langurs are diurnal, terrestial and arboreal. Hanuman Langurs are the most terrestial of any colobine. They spend up to 80% of the day on the ground, and almost all feeding is within 5 meters of the ground. In 1-male groups the alpha male's tenure is usually less than 2 years. When a new male takes over a troop, he systematically kills infants sired by the previous alpha male. This reproductive strategy was first documented in this species. Juvenile males leave when a new male takes over. Allomothering is also documented in this monkey .

DIET: The Hanuman Langur eats mature leaves, fruit, buds, flowers, young leaves, animal prey, exudates, bark, soil, herbs. The Himalayan subspecies rely on pinecones, bark and twigs during snowy winter months These langurs will raid gardens and crops ( all above information from "The Pictorial Guide to The Living Primates," Pagonias Press, Newyork).

Habitat and Distribution:

The Hanuman Langur prefers tropical, subtropical, pine, alpine forests and urban areas. This animal is very adaptable species and is distributed in dry savannah country and tropical rain forests in different parts of the sub-continent. In Pakistan, however, it is confined to Azad Kashmir and Siran Valleys of Mansehra and Kohistan districts

This monkey is very rare in Pakistan. It has only been sighted in Azad Kashmir and in Khagan, In Sharan forest reserve and in Shogaran. It is not found in Murree or Swat hills. Excluding Azad Kashmir, the total population is less than 200 (T.J Roberts, "Mammals of Pakistan"). However, a survey by N.W.F.P Wildlife Department in 1997 found that the numbers were much higher than 200 as reported by Roberts (see below).

Recent Sightings and Population Surveys:

Surveys:

N.W.F.P Wildlife Department 1997 survey of Wildlife. Results for Hanuman or Grey Langur  in the Province

District			Place					No of animals recorded

Mansehara 		Shogran-Malkandi					220
			Manshi wilidlife sanctuary				220
			Nagan-Nadi-Musala					118
			Kalam Ban- Kaghan 				16
			Bhunja Kalah 					80
			Beari-Chor 					189
Kohistan 			Pallas 						160
			Bankad Dubair 					70
			Pattan/Keyal					210

								Total:	1283