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Comparative Activity Pattern and Feeding Behaviour of Capped Langur (trachypithecus Pileatus) and Rhesus Macaque (macaca Mulatta) in Madhupur National Park of Bangladesh

Monirujjaman*
Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

M. Monirul H. Khan
Department of Zoology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Comparative activity pattern and feeding behaviour of Capped Langur (Trachypithecus pileatus) and Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) were studied in Madhupur National Park of Bangladesh from September 2015 to September 2016. Scan sampling method with 5 minutes interval was followed in the field. The Capped Langur spent 42% of the day time in feeding, 45% in resting, 6% in moving, 4% in playing, 2% in grooming and 1% in breeding, whereas the Rhesus Macaque spent 24% of the day time in feeding, 26% in resting, 30% in moving, 15% in playing, 4% in grooming and 1% in breeding. The Capped Langur spent comparatively more (7.25%) time in feeding than the Rhesus Macaque. Seasonal variation in feeding of the Capped Langur is more obvious than that in the Rhesus Macaque. Both species started their feeding activities early in the morning and stopped at late afternoon. Diet of the Capped Langur comprises of plant food (94%), animal food (3%), water (1%) and food offered by men (2%), and diet of the Rhesus Macaque comprises of plant food (79%), animal food (4%), soil (1%), water (2%) and food offered by men (14%). Both are mainly vegetarian but fed on varieties of food. It was found that the Capped Langur is primarily folivorous (48%) and the Rhesus Macaque is primarily frugivorous (55%). The Capped Langur fed on a total of 51 species of plant under 28 families and Rhesus Macaque fed on 38 species of plant under 18 families. The Capped Langur consumed more natural food (98%) than that of Rhesus Macaque (86%); the rest were food offered by men. The day ranges of Capped Langur and Rhesus Macaque were 400 metres and 550 metres, respectively. No notable conflict between Capped Langur and Rhesus Macaque was observed while feeding.

Keywords: Activity, feeding, Capped Langur, Rhesus Macaque, National Park, Bangladesh

Location: Madhupur National Park is located in Tangail and Mymensingh districts

Start Date: 00-09-2015

End Date: 00-09-2016

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Animal

Objectives:

The objectives of this study were to know the different aspects of activity pattern and feeding of Capped Langur and Rhesus Macaque in a comparative perspective, with reference to the feeding frequency and types of food items eaten, utilization of canopy, etc.

Methodology:

Study Area: Madhupur National Park is located in Tangail and Mymensingh districts, 125 kilometers north of Dhaka. The park is located in the northeast of Tangail Forest Division along the boundary with Mymensingh district. It is located from 24°36' to 24°42' North latitudes and 90°00' to 90°06' East longitudes. Madhupur National Park is located in three Upazilas (sub-districts): Madhupur Upazila in Tangail District and Muktagacha and Fulbaria Upazillas in Mymensingh District. Major parts of the park are under the administrative jurisdiction of Tangail Forest Division and a small portion is under the jurisdiction of Mymensingh Forest Division. The tract is known as Madhupur Garh, comprises an area of 8436.13 hectors (Khan, 2014). Madhupur National Park has four ranges, ten beats, and one nursery center. It is part of the tropical moist broadleaf ecoregion of Bangladesh and eastern India. It was declared a National Park on 24 February 1982 under the Bangladesh Wildlife Act of 1974 (Khan, 2014), although calls for national park status began as early as 1962. The scan sampling method at 5 minute intervals were used based on Altman (1974), Chivers (1984), Ahsan (1994), Gupta (1996), Feeroz et al. (1995), and Kabir (1991). An interval of 5 minutes ensures that each scan is usually discrete from the previous one, an essential requirement to satisfy conditions for statistical analysis. Data were collected on one group, each group of Capped Langur and Rhesus Macaque for two to four consecutive days in every month from September 2015 to September 2016. Activities of all visible individuals of the group were recorded in each scan. Each behaviour of one individual during each scan was recorded as one observation. Feeding is defined as the intake of solid food or water into the mouth, followed by ingesting food or masticating and search for food items on the ground or in vegetation where food is typically found. Resting is defined as when an animal remains stationary and inactive or no other behavior occurs. Moving is defined as terrestrial or arboreal locomotion, from one place to another, by the process of running, climbing, and walking except when searching for food and playing. Playing is defined as jumping, hanging on, mounting on the back of mother or another individual or grasping others in a non-threatening context. They show wrestle play, chase play, and solitary play. Grooming is defined as the animal pick through or /and brushes aside the fur of another using one or both hands. Breeding is defined as try to ejaculation or any initiatives of copulation. The canopy was divided into 3 levels, on the basis of their ranges in this deciduous forest -- top canopy: approximately 30-40 m in height, middle canopy: approximately 20-30 m in height, and lower canopy: approximately ground to 20 m in height. The total study period was 48 days (24 days for Capped Langur and 24 days for Rhesus Macaque) from September 2015 to September 2016. A total of 498 hours (250 hours for Capped Langur and 248 hours for Rhesus Macaque), 5,976 scans (3,000 scans for Capped Langur and 2,976 scans for Rhesus Macaque), and 21,780 observations (8,560 observations for Capped Langur and 13,220 observations for Rhesus Macaque) were made for field data collection. The studied group of Capped Langur consists of 8 individuals. One adult male (12.5%) leads the group between the two adult females (25%). There are also one sub-adult male (12.5%) and one sub-adult female (12.5%). One juvenile (12.5%) and two infants (25%) are very nice to see. The studied group of Rhesus Macaque, on the other hand, was recorded as multi-male and multi-female social system. The size and composition of social groups vary geographically because of habitat structure and food availability. There were 13 individuals in the present study group. Two adult males (15.39%) lead the group between the three adult females (23.07%). There are also two sub-adult males (15.39%) and two sub-adult females (15.39%). One juvenile (7.69%) and three infants (23.07%) are very nice to see.

Source of Information: Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 6(1): 1-12, 2017 (June)

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Achievement/Findings:

Badal (2011) reported that the Rhesus Macaque spent 27.36% time in feeding, 19.26% time in resting, 37.12% time in moving, and 16.26% in social activities of their total time at Shariatpur, Bangladesh. Among their diet fruits constitute the highest amount (38%), vegetables (26%), grains (27%), and animal foods (9%). In this study, the Rhesus Macaque was found to spend similar proportion of time (24%) in feeding, but consumes less proportion (4%) of animal food.

Knowledge Management: Journal