The recent attack on four people by Hanuman Langurs (Presbytis entellus) at Kadi in Mehsana district on Saturday could be an indication of behavioural change in simians,say wildlife experts. Only a week ago,a similar incident had occurred at Surat. Experts say such incidents are on the rise. Experts at Jay Narain Vyas (JNV) University at Jodhpur in Rajasthan,one of the few known institutions studying the behaviours of Hanuman Langurs in India had recently taken up a study in this regard. At a conference at Kumaun University in Nainital,they said that climate change could be one of the reasons responsible for this behavioural change in primates who are already coping with a reduced habitat as a result of human intrusion into their territory. Gautam Sharma,a lecturer at JNV University said: We have been collecting data of the changing weather from the Central Arid Zone Research Institute and the Zoological Survey of India. We have observed a change in the feeding habits of these simians due to changes in the winter and summer patterns. Generally,their natural feeding pattern is early morning and late evenings,but this has now changed due to the changing weather. JNV University Associate Professor L S Rajpurohit added: There are many reasons for the changing pattern in Hanuman Langur behaviour; we believe climate change is one of them. JNV University experts are now carrying on further study to relate the rising incidents of attacks on humans to the changing feeding habits of the simians as a result of the change in climatic conditions. Due to their religious significance (Hanuman Langurs are associated with Lord Hanuman),these primates are mostly dependent on foods offered by humans. Activists in Gujarat,however,say it is not just the change in climatic conditions but the urban growth that is responsible for this behavioural change. The fact that forest officials in Gujarat are not much trained to tackle this simian species,only adds to the problem. There are nearly nine lakh Hanuman Langurs in India,of which one lakh are in Gujarat,say forest officials. But there is one animal expert in the entire state,Manoj Thaker,who can handle simians. Mukesh Acharya,a naturalist from Ahmedabad said: Only Thaker can handle simians in Gujarat. The forest officers are not properly trained. A simian that attacks humans should be properly observed,but forest officers lack those skills. Thaker said: I have been doing several rescue operations across Gujarat right from Surat to Mehsana. I have developed a lightweight cage made of chain links,which can be handled by one person. I have also supplied some cages to the Forest Department. Conservator of Forest Jagdish Prasad said Thaker handled the recent operation at Kadi. On his part,Gujarat State Forest Development Corporation Managing Director H S Singh said: There is no specific method to control these simians in Gujarat. During 1979,these mammals were exported to other countries for experiments,but now it is banned. This species is present in large numbers in the Vadodara and Ahmedabad circles. The only alternative is to release them in the forests.
