Chennai: Though special care is given to all animals in the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP), commonly referred to as Vandalur zoo, extra effort and attention is paid to the lion-tailed macaque (LTM).
This is because the Vandalur zoo is a coordinating zoo for the LTM conservation breeding programme across India which aims at saving this species.
This week’s Zoo Tales in News Today, has AAZP veterinarians speak about the success behind their LTM breeding programme.
There is one enclosure with moat which is open for visitors. However, there are two other breeding centres located at a remote location in the zoo with minimal human intervention, giving the animals a close resemblance to their natural habitat.
Veterinarian Boon Allwin said the species are found in Kerala and Tamilnadu. A significant portion of the population can be sighted in the Nilgiri hills, Anaimalai hills and Cardamom hills.
“They are so arboreal that they do not even come to the ground to drink water. They take their water content from the droplets in the tree or the fruits that they consume. It is not easy to create such an environment in the zoo. However, we have tried to create as much a natural habitat as possible. They are diurnal and have a highly established hierarchy with the alpha leading the gang and protecting the territory. In the wild, they move in groups of 10 to 20 animals with more females than males,” he said.
He further said even the enclosure which is open to the public will have only 30 per cent viewing area as these animals are highly sensitive.
BREEDING PROGRAMME
Another veterinarian, Pa Kalaignan, said the breeding programme in the zoo has been very successful.
“We have a pedigree analysis based on which the breeding process happens. All the movement of the captive LTMs are recorded in a stud book which keeps track of all the animals that will come in handy during the breeding process,” he said.
He further said the major role of the alpha is just reproduction and the mother takes care of the babies and is very protective.
“We have different families in various enclosures which makes it easier to avoid inbreeding, making the newborns less susceptible to genetic disease. The age of reproduction of an LTM in captivity is 48 months and the gestation period is 162-186 days and they live as long as 38 years. The young ones are nursed for one year. Sexual maturity is reached at four years for females, and six years for males,” the veterinarian said.
He added that it is the alpha which will mostly be involved in reproducing, however the sub-adults will also try their luck at times.
“A peak in mating has been observed during January and February, which is indicated by the typical behaviour exhibited by female when it is in estrous. The sexual cycle lasts 30 days. During mating, the couple isolates itself from the rest of the group,” he added.
From the veterinarians’ perspective, they said infighting is the major cause for concern. “The alpha at times might get aggressive and attack the sub-adult when it tries to cross its limit. It has sharp canine teeth with which it can even peel of the skin of the animal that is being attacked,” he explained.
WHY THE NAME?
The reason behind naming the animal lion-tailed macaque is that its tail has a tuft of hair at the end, similar to that of a lion. The most distinguishing feature of lion-tailed macaque is the presence of a brownish gray mane around its face. It has a black body and bare face.
EATING HABITS
In its natural habitat, a total of 200 species of trees are known to contribute to the macaque’s diet, of which fruit-bearing trees make the largest component, followed by seedbearing, nectar and gum and resin producing trees. At the zoo, fruits, sprouts and eggs are given to the animals.
THREATS
Habitat fragmentation, deterioration and hunting are the main threats faced by the species. Habitat fragmentation due to habitat being lost to agriculture and other non-forestry purposes has resulted in breaking of the population into small isolated groups.
The animal, which was once considered endangered, is no longer in the list as various measures have been taken to protect it and it has been successful.
| KING IS NEXT |
| Since next week is observed as Wildlife Conservation Week, in our Zoo Tales edition 6 October we will take a peek into the life of the king of the jungle – The Lion. |