Population Of Spectacle Monkey Increases In Tripura

According to forest officials, these monkeys are threatened with extinction as the humans are now encroaching on their natural habitats.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the spectacle monkey as endangered. The population was declined by 50% over the last three generation due to the loss of natural habitats and hunting. In India, it is a schedule 1 species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

According to officials, the money is spotted in north-eastern states especially in Tripura, Assam, and in Mizoram along with Chittagong hill tracts of neighbouring Bangladesh, in parts of China, and in Myanmar.

The officials have said that around two percent rises of this money in Tripura.

Wildlife official in Tripura has said that the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary is a residence of spectacle monkey and as per the central zoo authority of India, they consider Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary as a National breeding centre from the money which is an endangered animal.

They said that a study of the money has recently concluded in which they have found 100 spectacle monkeys were present in the sanctuary and the number is on rising.

"The species is adapting to life in rubber plantations in Tripura. There is a high dependence on rubber leaves," confirmed primatologist Joydeep Bose. In a study, Bose, and Bhattacharjee (2004) reported that more than 75% of the annual diet of the species in Tripura comes from rubber plants.

As per the 2015 and 2017 reports of the Forest Survey of India, the total forest and tree cover of the state was 8,044 square kilometres and 7,726 square kilometres, respectively. The Forest Report of Tripura conducted in 2017 showed that a total decrease of 164 square kilometers in the state's forest cover could be attributed to developmental activities, harvesting of mature rubber trees, and shifting agricultural practices.

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