In News:

Recently, the Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has recommended reinstating the Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. The move aims to restore statutory protection, regulate scientific management, and curb illegal capture, cruelty, and trade of the species.

Rationale Behind the Recommendation

The recommendation follows consultations with state governments and expert bodies amid rising human–wildlife conflict involving rhesus macaques. Senior officials highlighted that Section 11 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act empowers states to manage conflict situations even when a species is protected, allowing controlled interventions without removing legal safeguards.

The proposal was supported by the Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board of India, animal protection organisations, and backed by the Central Zoo Authority and the National Tiger Conservation Authority. States have been advised to prepare site-specific management, mitigation, rescue, and rehabilitation plans, supported by baseline studies from the Wildlife Institute of India.

About Rhesus Macaque

• Scientific name: Macaca mulatta
• Category: Old World monkey
• Distribution: India, South Asia, Southeast Asia, southern China
• Habitat: Forests, grasslands, mangroves, mountains; highly adaptable to human-dominated landscapes
• Diet: Omnivorous (fruits, seeds, roots, bark, cereals)
• Behaviour: Social, diurnal, terrestrial and arboreal; live in large troops with complex communication

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Proposed Schedule II (restoration of protection)