A history of primatology in India (In memory of Professor Sheo Dan Singh)

Abstract

India harbors a wide diversity of primates with 24 species that include lorises, macaques, langurs and gibbons. Systematic research on the primates in India started about 60 years ago. In order to develop a historical perspective, we recognize three broad phases of primate research: largely natural history and base line research, primarily behavioral ecology research, and increasingly question and hypothesis-driven research. We describe the old and the recent primate research in the country and suggest research areas for the future.

Recent studies on Indian primates show declining population trends, even in protected areas

“…Population monitoring of rhesus macaques over 6 decades has shown varying trends, with population size decreasing by 90% during the 1960s and 1970s, followed by a partial recovery during the 1980s (Southwick & Siddiqi, 1994) and a substantial population growth of 203% during 1995–2010 (Imam & Ahmad, 2013). To evaluate population trends, a representative population of the target primate species must be identified and monitored in each habitat at least once every 3 years (Singh et al, 2020). To better understand the drivers of changing wild populations, we recommend population monitoring for all Indian primate species, with priority given to species that are threatened and/or for which we have limited or no data on their population status (e.g.…”

“…Over the past few decades, anthropogenic land-cover changes have resulted in declining populations of many species (Butchart et al, 2010), with the current rate of species extinction estimated to be nearly 1,000 times the background rate (Pimm et al, 1995, 2014). Furthermore, species conservation efforts both regionally and globally are often impeded by the lack of fine-scale range maps and accurate information on species distribution (Singh et al, 2020).…”

“…Taking these ambiguities into account, a recent study reported 24 species of non-human primates in India, including two species of lorises, 10 species of langurs, 10 species of macaques and two species of small apes (Singh et al, 2020), of which 18 species are categorized as threatened on the IUCN Red List (IUCN, 2021). For many primate species in India, information on their current distribution is lacking, which impedes the assessment of their conservation status (Karanth et al, 2010b).…”

“…For many primate species in India, information on their current distribution is lacking, which impedes the assessment of their conservation status (Karanth et al, 2010b). Furthermore, with the exception of a few recent studies, most surveys on Indian primates have been methodologically outdated and geographically limited (Singh et al, 2020).…”