Seasonal electrocution fatalities in free-range rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of Shivalik hills area in northern India

AbstractBackground The arboreal nature of rhesus macaques makes them vulnerableto electrocution from high-voltage industrial supply as well as low-tensiondomestic wires. The data on pattern of electrocution injuries and electrocu-tion mortalities in free-ranging rhesus macaques are rarely reported.Methods From January 2011 to 2013, the cases of accidental electrocutioninjuries were recorded in difference to sex, age group, season, body regiondistribution, contact details, and extent of injuries in free-ranging rhesusmacaques (Macaca mulatta) of Shivalik hill areas.Results electrocution injuries were highest in juveniles (52.05%), followed byadults (30.13%) and old (10.95%) rhesus macaques. Of the 73 casesrecorded, 23 (31.50%) succumbed to death following severe electrocutionand associated injuries. The intensity and body region distribution of electro-cution injuries was recorded.Conclusion High-voltage current is the most common factor for fatal injuries.Strategies to avoid such electrocutions include burying all lines and trans-formers, shielding and insulating all high-tension lines, installing bridges thatmonkeys, and other arboreal species can use to move around.IntroductionOf the 15 species of non-human primates present inIndia, only three are commensal, the Rhesus (Macacamulatta), Bonnet (Macaca radiata), and the Commonlangur (Seminopithecus entellus). Of these, only theRhesus macaque (M. mullatta) is the most commoncommensal monkey of North India [23, 30]. Thesegregarious monkeys which live in groups of up to 30individuals have managed to survive in cities and alsothrive is a testament to this fact as a result of whichthe conflict between humans and these primates iscommon and increasing [9, 19, 31]. In Himachal Pra-desh, for example, nearly 68,000 of the approximately2, 24,000 rhesus macaque population occur in ruraland urban areas of the Shivalik hills. Moreover, thispopulation is stated to be on the rise and macaqueincreasingly becoming commensal due to change intheir feeding habits in a wide range of habitats. Thecommensal behavior of monkey is attributed toincreased interaction of these primates with humansespecially in urban areas, road sides, villages andother public places etc. The monkey human interac-tion is increasingly acquiring monkey man conflictdimensions often referred to as ‘monkey menace’.Some aspects of city life are very dangerous liketreacherous roads, electric cable wires crisscrossing allover the place and of course the petty attitudes ofsome people and dogs. Macaques mainly because oftheir arboreal and climbing nature are highly vulnera-ble to electrocution by electric wires. Macaques arehighly susceptible to electric injuries and often getelectrocuted by low-tension household current orfrom high-tension electric wires.