Birth of young lion-tailed macaque in Mysuru zoo raises hopes of breeding vulnerable species

The birth has raised hopes of introducing the species in the wild as the objective of the project is to breed such species in captivity and release them in the wild, after complying with applicable protocols.

A lion-tailed macaque (LTM), an endangered species, has given birth to a young macaque at the Chamundi Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre for the Wild Animals, at Koorgalli on the outskirts of Mysuru. The rescue centre is run by the century-old Mysuru Zoo.

The birth of a young macaque is perhaps a first since the conservation breeding programme of lion-tailed macaque was launched, with the Mysuru zoo being the participating zoo and the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Chennai being the coordinating zoo. Habitat loss has placed the primate in the IUCN red list of endangered species.

LTMs are found in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Importantly, the birth has raised hopes of introducing the species in the wild as the objective of the project is to breed such species in captivity and release them in the wild, after complying with applicable protocols.

Zoo Executive Director Mahesh Kumar confirmed the birth and said the baby macaque is fine. “This is the first birth of a young macaque since the project was launched. The birth is considered important since the species, found in the Western Ghats, is highly endangered, and its numbers are falling in the wild,” he said.

The Indian Gaur, Grey Wolf, Wild Dog, Grey Jungle Fowl, and Giant Squirrel are the other species for which the Mysuru zoo is carrying out conservation breeding. The zoo had been working on the project for many years. The zoo has the reputation of captive breeding several species of animals, including giraffes. The first birth of a young macaque has proved its expertise in conservation breeding.

According to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), which launched the conservation breeding project, the zoos, besides sustaining their own population, also have to increase the depleting population of endangered species in the wild through conservation breeding.