Workshop on lion-tailed macaque conservation held at KMTR

A workshop on the conservation of Lion-tailed Macaque was held at the Mundanthurai field training centre of Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) on Monday and Tuesday.

In compliance with the government order issued by the Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department of Tamil Nadu, aimed at conservation of endangered and lesser known species such as Lion-tailed Macaque, Madras Hedgehog, Striped Hyena, Hump-headed Mahseer fish etc,. species conservation project has been initiated.

Of the identified species, Tamil Nadu government has sanctioned ₹1 crore for the conservation of four lesser known endangered species: the lion-tailed macaque, Madras hedgehog, striped hyena and hump-headed mahseer. Under the scheme ₹48.50 has been allocated for conservation of lion-tailed macaque, an endangered primate endemic to Western Ghats, that survives primarily in fragmented pockets of rainforest patches.

As part of the initiative, the State’s first workshop on conservation of lion-tailed macaque kicked off with the event chaired by H. Venu Prasad, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), in the presence of S. Anand, Conservator of Forests and Field Director of KMTR.

The project lion-tailed macaque has been planned to be implemented in the areas, where they are habituating along the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, especially in Anaimalai Tiger Reserve (ATR), Srivilliputur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR) and KMTR.

Renowned experts and researchers, who have studied and worked on lion-tailed macaque ecology from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, attended the workshop and delivered speeches on key topics: the conservation issues of lion-tailed macaque, population status of lion tailed macaque in Tamil Nadu, population assessment and monitoring techniques, human-lion-tailed macaque interactions and habitat characteristics and threats.

Officials from SMTR, ATR, KMTR, district forest officials of Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, forest range officers, biologists, ecologists and others were present at the workshop.

Around 60 participants attended the first-day technical session and filed a practical session on population assessment techniques on Tuesday.

The practical session was conducted at lion-tailed macaque habitats of Mundanthurai range, including Karaiyar and Kavuthalai areas, with biologists, project associates and field assistants from all the implementing divisions attending the session.