Paudel / Our Nature (2016), 14 (1): 107-114 Our Nature│December 2016│14 (1): 107-114 ISSN: 1991-2951 (Print) Our Nature ISSN: 2091-2781 (Online) Journal homepage: http://nepjol.info/index.php/ON Conflict due to Assamese Macaques (Macaca assamensis McClelland 1840) and crop protection strategies in Kali- gandaki River Basin, Western Nepal Pavan Kumar Paudel* Central Department of Zoology, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal *E-mail: [email protected] Abstract This study was conducted on conflict due to Assamese Macaques (Macaca assamensis McClelland 1840) and crop protection strategies in Kaligandaki river basin, Baglung and Parbat Districts, Western Nepal. Field survey was conducted from 25 October to 22 December, 2015. Questionnaire survey was carried out to estimate the crop protection strategies and crop damaged by the macaque with the local inhabitants in the Kaligan- daki River Basin VDCs. Stratified random sampling method was used to select respon- dent for the questionnaire survey. Out of 654 river basin households, 92 respondents were selected as sample size from the study area. Maize was the highest raided crop 46.95% followed by 15.91% paddy, 15.11% potato, 10.84% millet, 6.88% wheat, 2.05% pulses, 1.59% fruits and 0.66% vegetables. The most commenly used crop protection strategy in guarding their field were by constant vigilance 50%, 25% of field owners use “Scarecrows” 20% used dogs, 5% farmers used tin-box and catapult to chase the macaques from the crop fields. Key words: Assamese Monkey, Crop damage, Western Nepal, Questionnaire DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/on.v14i1.16449 Manuscript details: 26.11.2016 / Accepted: 26.12.2016 Citation: Paudel, P.K. 2016. Conflict due to Assamese Macaques (Macaca assamensis McClelland 1840) and crop protec- tion strategies in Kaligandaki River Basin, western Nepal. Our Nature 14(1):107-114. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/on. v14i1.16449 Copyright: © Paudel 2016. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Introduction entellus, with subspecies distributed from In Nepal there are two species of macaques; the Tarai plain to the high mountain range Macaca assamensis and Macaca mulatta, (Chalise, 1995). The Rhesus monkeys (Ma- and one species of Langur; Semnopithecus caca mulatta Zimmermann, 1780) are 107 Paudel / Our Nature (2016), 14 (1): 107-114 found freely ranging in wild as well as in area, Terai and immediate periphery of na- urban religious places. The Langur mon- tional parks and reserves. Primates are con- keys (Semnopithecus entellus Dufresne sidered to the pest of field crops Langurs in 1797) are found freely ranging in wild for- Sworgadwari forest of Pyuthan, Sangekhola est and marginal areas of Nepal (Southwick of Tanahun, Assamese Macaques of Hari- et al., 1982). The other species Assamese harpur Gadhi, Rhesus Macaques in Gho- monkey (Macaca assamensis McClelland daghodi of Kailali and Pashupati, 1840) reported from mid-hills and high Swoyambhu, Thapathali and Sankhu of Montana forest of Nepal, whose ecological Kathmandu, and elsewhere (Chalise, 2000). and behavioral details are still largely un- Rhesus Monkey was considered most crops known (Chalise, 2006). damaging, while physical hurt and harass- The Assamese Macaques is catego- ment were also perceived monkey related rized as threatened due to its limited distri- problem in the Gulmi area. Shouting and bution of less than 22,000 km2, an expected chasing with using stone and catapult were area of occurrence of about 914 km2 with the common local deterrent method against ongoing decline in area, lessening popula- monkeys (Aryal and Chalise, 2013). How- tion and narrowing quality of habitat. As ever, Upreti (1990) noted that buckwheat stated of its restriction of occurrence, rising and barley were repeatedly destroyed by threats to the individual and its habitat, and wild pigs, langurs, and macaque monkeys decreasing number in fragmented patches, in Langtang and Rara national parks. Little the Nepal Assamese population is catego- quantitative information on crop loss or rized as Endangered. As well as the Nation- damage is available for this study area on al parks and wild life conservation Act of the edge between continuous forest and 1973 has listed the Assamese Macaque as a dense human habitation zones along the protected species of Nepal and kept appen- southern boundary of the national park area dix II of CITES (Chalise et al., 2005). Be- (Jackson, 1990). cause of their distribution pattern, Assa- mese Macaque population would have been Materials and methods more influenced by forest habitat deteriora- Research site tion compared with Rhesus Macaque popu- The study was conducted in Baglung and lations (Wada, 2005). The fragmented dis- Parbat districts of Dhawalagiri Zone. It lies tribution of the Assamese Macaque seems in the western development region of Nep- inadequate for maintaining a viable popula- al. The district Baglung is a part of Prov- tion in Nepal. There has been few studies to ince No. 6, with its district headquarters estimate the minimal viable population size baglung, cover an area of 1,784 km² and necessary for the conservation of not only have a population (2001) of 268,938. Parbat Assamese Macaques, but macaca in general district is a hilly area of Nepal. The district (Wada, 2005). Species viability can be Parbat is a part of Province no 4 and one of measured by evaluating population dynam- the seventy-five district of Nepal. The dis- ics and environmental effects (Fa and Lind, trict, with Kusma as its district headquar- 1996). ters, covers an area of 494 km² and has a In Nepal, crop damage is very com- population (2001) of 157,826. Study site is mon along the mid-hills, high mountain located between 83°35'29.2" to 83°35'72" 108 Paudel / Our Nature (2016), 14 (1): 107-114 longitude and 28°05'24.2" to 28°19'45" lati- Binamare VDCs), Block B (Kusmisera, tude and elevation ranges between 560 m to Amalachaur and NarayansthanVDCs), 1650 m. Block C (Siwalaya and Pang VDCs) and Total area of Baglung site VDCs is Block D (Nangliwang and Dhairing VDCs). 71.3452 km2 where as Parbat site VDCs is Blocks were designed on the basis of habi- 33.357 km2. The study area lies in between tat character (Rijal, 2014). Which were se- tropical to temperate belt of Nepal. This parated by large Kaligandaki river i.e., study area has a unique geographical fea- Block A and B from Baglung District site ture having both North and South facing where as Block C and D from Parbat Dis- topography. The rain-bearing wind from the trict site. Bay of Bengal blows from the east towards west of Nepal during the rainy season. The Questionnaire survey climate of study area and its vicinity is Stratified random sampling method was mainly dry and wet (Source: NG/ RDHM used to select respondent for the question- Pokhara). The average maximum tempera- naire survey. The main habitats of the As- ture was recorded (27.70°C) and minimum samese Monkey were along the Kaliganda- temperature was recorded (15.30°C) ki River Basin therefore, out of 654 river (Source: NG/RDHM Pokhara). According basin households, 92 respondents were se- to the climatic data, average monthly rela- lected as sample size from the study area. tive humidity (at morning) of the area To estimate the crop protection strategies 77.17% and average monthly relative hu- and crop damaged by the Assamese Maca- midity (at evening) of the area 78.15%. The que in the study area questionnaire survey highest precipitation was recorded (553.6 was conducted from 25 October to 22 De- mm) in the month of July during the study cember, 2015 to collect information with period, while there were not recorded of the local inhabitants in the Kaligandaki precipitation in the month of November and River Basin VDCs. December (Source: NG/ RDHM Pokhara). The study area is rich in biodiversity. The Results reason for this may be due to presence of Crop raiding alluvial soil along the basin of this large In the study site crop raiding was found to Kaligandaki River, and high productivity of be the major problem caused by the tropical deciduous riverine forest (Chalise, monkey. Among the respondents crop raid- 2013). In broad classification, the study ing was reported by 80% but the extent of area falls in Shorea-Diospyros zone (Pau- crop raiding was found to be different del, 2016). Mixed type of forest is found in areas. Crop raiding was found to be highest the study area. Tropical deciduous riverine at Block A Aduwabari village of Chhisti forest sub-tropical grassland and sub- VDC Baglung (78%) followed by the Block tropical evergreen forest are the forest types D Dhairing, at the edge of Salyan village in the study area (Chalise, 2013). with rocky out crop of Dhairing VDC Par- bat least to the crop raiding (61%). Major Methods crops raided by monkeys included maize, Study area was divided into four blocks potato, millet, wheat, paddy, pulses, namely Block A (Chisti, Jaidi, Arjewa and vegetables, (pumpkin, bean, cauliflower, 109 Paudel / Our Nature (2016), 14 (1): 107-114 cabbage etc.), and fruits (pear, peach, quintals of crops was raided in each hectare cucumber, etc.). In which maize was the of land (Tab. 2). highest raided crop. From the total 92 respondents, total loss noted was 46.95% of Table 1. Local market price of crops at Baglung maize, followed by 15.91% paddy, 15.11% Bazar. potato,10.84% millet, 6.88% wheat, 2.05% S.N. Crops NRs/Quintal pulses, 1.59% fruits and 0.66% vegetables 1 Maize 4000 (Fig. 1). Most of the respondents had very 2 Potato 5000 limited crop land to grow their crops.