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Bonnet Macaques

30 Jun 2025 GS 3 Environment
Bonnet Macaques Click to view full image
Context : The Kerala Forest Department will shortly approach the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change seeking permission to carry out sterilisation of the species endemic to South India.

  • Kerala Forest Department to seek approval from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

  • Bonnet macaques are listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 – requiring central permission.

  • The initiative is part of “Mission Bonnet Macaque”, a 10-point programme to mitigate conflict.

  • The plan involves capturing, sterilising, monitoring health, and releasing the monkeys back into their original habitats.

  • Culling not considered—unlike wild pigs, which are currently culled in the state.

  • Additional measures include waste management in eco-tourism zones to reduce monkey access to food waste.

Bonnet Macaque – :

  • Scientific Name: Macaca radiata

  • Common Name: Bonnet macaque

  • Habitat: Endemic to South India; found in forests, villages, urban areas

  • Behavior: Highly social, forms troops, adapts to human presence

  • Threats:

    • Habitat loss and fragmentation

    • Urbanisation

    • Road accidents

    • Human-animal conflict

  • IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable

    • Due to population decline and increasing threats

  • Legal Protection in India: Schedule I, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (highest protection level)

  • Endemic Region: Southern India

    • Bounded by the Indian Ocean on three sides

    • Godavari and Tapti Rivers and competition with rhesus macaque restrict northern spread

    • Habitat Shift: Land use changes have altered its traditional range, increasing overlap with rhesus macaque—raising conservation concerns

                       

  • Behavior and Ecology:

    • Activity: Diurnal (active during the day), both arboreal (tree-dwelling) and terrestrial (ground-dwelling)

    • Diet: Omnivorous

      • Eats fruits, seeds, nuts, flowers, invertebrates, cereals

      • Frequently raids crops and homes; feeds on food provided by humans (commensal behavior)

    Social Behavior:

    • Affiliative Gesture:

      • Lip-smacking: Common friendly gesture involving rapid mouth movements with audible sound

    • Fear/Submissive Gesture:

      • Grimace: Shown by subordinates during aggressive encounters

    Social Structure:

    • Hierarchy:

      • Follows a linear dominance hierarchy

      • Alpha, beta, gamma males ranked in decreasing dominance

      • Females have a separate, stable hierarchy

      • Males are dominant over females; their hierarchy is dynamic and involves frequent competition

    • Group Dynamics:

      • Females stay in their natal group(where they were born)

      • Males disperse to other groups upon maturity

These combined efforts aim to ensure population control without endangering the species, balancing conservation and community welfare.



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