Conservation and threat to selected monkey species in Nepal compared to selected species in Tanzania

Abstract

Nonhuman primates are special as they are similar to humans genetically and behaviorally. They are ecologically important species for maintaining a healthy forest ecosystem. According to IUCN, more than a third of world’s primate species are threatened or critically endangered. Monkeys and Apes are flagship species for conservation and different nations have different traditions and approaches to this. Tanzania has a long-standing tradition for conservation of monkeys and apes. A coherent conservation strategy for monkeys in Nepal seems to be absent. The conservation study with focus on the attitude of locals towards these primates has been a focus point for my study. This study also aims to make a comparative analysis of the primates Rhesus and Langur of Nepal and Red Colobus and Chimpanzee of Tanzania in relation to their habitat and conservation management strategies along with park-people conflicts. Sampling sites were selected based on presence of forest inhabited by primates and with a buffer zone with possibility of experiencing human-nonhuman primate conflict. The monkeys in Tanzania are more studied and effective conservation actions are in practice. Monkeys seem to adjust living alongside human settlement and are thus thriving easily in Nepal. As observed in my study, large numbers of rhesus troops thrive in completely urban areas where the natural food is scarce and they have adapted to live alongside humans. About 75% of the people with higher education and the similar percentage (72 %) of people who can simply read and write were against the hunting and live capture of monkeys. But, if human encroachment continues at the same alarming rate alongside the lack of proper research and prevention of possible disease transfer in addition to lacking conservation measures for primates, the future survival of healthy urban monkeys is in jeopardy. Primates, as generally considered pest species in crop raid areas, as well as urban areas, of Nepal seem to lack proper attention in conservation in Nepal as compared to Tanzania. Because monkeys have negative effect on their agriculture, local people are not much in favor of conserving them. It has been observed that the monkeys in Tanzania are more studied and that there are effective conservation tools present, which could possibly be useful for a better primate conservation strategy in Nepal.