Kathmandu, Jan. 19: Nature conservationists and environmentalists today showed their serious concern over habitat destruction and commercial hunting causing the extinction of rare animals like Assamese monkeys and many other life forms from the world.
Monkey specialist Dr. Mukesh Kumar Chalise at a programme organised by Nepal Federation of Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ) said that like rare and unique butterflies, birds and many other unique plants and animals Nepal was also home to rare Assamese monkey species.
From his decade-long study of monkeys, Chalise has discovered that Nepal is a place for different types of monkeys that are not found anywhere else in the world.
“Monkeys are found normally from an altitude of 600 to 1800 meters from the sea level. But in Nepal there are evidences of monkeys surviving below 600 meters and also above 1800 meters, Dr. Chalise said.
He also said that from feeding trends too, there could be rare monkeys in Nepal since some monkeys here have been consuming plants which do not contain protein.
“Although there are varieties of animals, we have not been able to identify and protect these endangered living beings which can add to our evidence of unique bio-diversity,” Dr. Chalise said.
From the study, Dr. Chalise has found three species of monkey — red, pahare and langur monkeys in Nepal. According to him, Nepal may be the only place where these monkeys are surviving.
There are 441 red monkeys in Pashupati, 450 in Swoyambhu, 38 in Tripureshwor, 96 in Sankhu, 38 in Nilbarahi, 30 in Balthali, 47 in Matindanda of Palpa, and 20 in Langtang, according to Dr. Chalise.
Likewise, Dr. Chalise has found 12 pahare monkeys in Helambu, 33 in Melung, 30 in Rimche, 10 in Dahalphendi, and 5 in Ghattekulo. Similarly, there are 29 langur monkeys in Dovan, 36 in Rimche and 36 in Bridim.
“Since monkeys are very useful animals from scientific point of view and for environmental reasons they should protected,” chairman of American Society of Primatology Conservation said.
Though Nepal occupies only 0.03 per cent of the total land of the world, it is home to 2.2 per cent of the total flowering plants found in the world, 4.2 per cent of the butterflies, 2.2 per cent of fish, 8.5 per cent of the birds and 4.2 per cent of the mammals.