<p>This has been brought to light by conservation scientist Dr Honnavalli Kumar who works at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History in Tamil Nadu. <br /><br />He has been conducting research on the lion-tailed macaque since 2007 in the Sirsi-Siddapura-Honnavara forest belt. There had been a significant fall in the population of these monkeys in the forests of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in the last two decades. <br /><br />But Kumar’s revelation gives a ray of hope.<br /><br />The International Union For Conservation of Nature has estimated that there are 3,000 lion-tailed macaques in India. <br /><br />Kumar undertook research in and around the wildlife sanctuaries in Talacauvery, Pushpagiri and Sharavathi valleys, besides the Sirsi-Siddapura-Honnavara forests. There were 750 macaques in 32 groups in these places.<br /><br />In the 1980s, the conservation of the lion-tailed macaque had become a major motive for the ‘Save Silent Valley’ movement in Kerala. While in the forests of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the lion-tailed macaque is hunted for food, in Karnataka it is revered. <br /><br />But rampant deforestation has put a question mark on the efforts to conserve the animal. Kumar has called for measures to save them from extinction, as the Sirsi-Honnavara forest belt does not come under reserved forests. <br /></p>
<p>This has been brought to light by conservation scientist Dr Honnavalli Kumar who works at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History in Tamil Nadu. <br /><br />He has been conducting research on the lion-tailed macaque since 2007 in the Sirsi-Siddapura-Honnavara forest belt. There had been a significant fall in the population of these monkeys in the forests of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, in the last two decades. <br /><br />But Kumar’s revelation gives a ray of hope.<br /><br />The International Union For Conservation of Nature has estimated that there are 3,000 lion-tailed macaques in India. <br /><br />Kumar undertook research in and around the wildlife sanctuaries in Talacauvery, Pushpagiri and Sharavathi valleys, besides the Sirsi-Siddapura-Honnavara forests. There were 750 macaques in 32 groups in these places.<br /><br />In the 1980s, the conservation of the lion-tailed macaque had become a major motive for the ‘Save Silent Valley’ movement in Kerala. While in the forests of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the lion-tailed macaque is hunted for food, in Karnataka it is revered. <br /><br />But rampant deforestation has put a question mark on the efforts to conserve the animal. Kumar has called for measures to save them from extinction, as the Sirsi-Honnavara forest belt does not come under reserved forests. <br /></p>
