COMMENSAL RHESUS IN INDIA - THE NEED AND COST OF TRANSLOCATION

Two translocations of commensal rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) subgrou ps were undertaken in India as a conservation measure. In August 1989, a total of 21 animals were transported from Tughlaqabad, a site locat ed on the southeastern outskirts of New Delhi, to Meetha Pur, a rural area about 10 km distant. In February 1990, 13 rhesus were taken from Phari Dheeraj, a crowded residential area in Old Delhi, and released a t Lal Kuan, a public parkland located near the border of the State of Haryana. On a per-animal basis, the cost of translocating these 34 mon keys was 70 % less than that realized during a previous relocation of Indian rhesus conducted in 1984. The rhesus is not endangered in India , but does occupy a vulnerable position given that (1) its numbers are much reduced relative to what they were 30 years ago, and (2) it is s trongly commensal and capable of causing considerable damage to crops and other property. The utility of translocation in the conservation o f India's remaining rhesus is discussed in the light of the results of the Tughlaqabad and Phari Dheeraj efforts. It is concluded that, whil e the cost per animal could be cut further by practicing the relocatio n of commensal rhesus on a larger scale, the use of translocation on a nation-wide basis will probably remain prohibitively expensive in Ind ia, a country with limited financial resources.