ANJAW, 2 Apr: Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India recently spotted rare white-cheeked macaques (Macaca leucogenys) in Anjaw and West Kameng districts.
The white-cheeked macaque is the newest addition to the list of primate species found in the Indian subcontinent.
According to West Kameng DFO Chukhu Loma, the only other time that the rare mammal’s existence was reported was in southern Tibet in 2015.
He said that there had been no other reports of its discovery anywhere in the world, until only a month back in Anjaw.
“Not many days after its discovery in Anjaw, our team captured a white-cheeked macaque in one of our cameras during a routine camera trap exercise here in Bishum Phudung in Dirang in West Kameng district. The animal has distinct facial features that differentiate it from other macaques, specifically the white cheeks (whiskers), long and thick hair on the neck. They happen to live in the same biodiversity areas as the other macaques. This is an exceptional discovery, given how rare it is and how little we know about it,” Loma said.
“The immediate need of the hour is to carry out a detailed, in-depth scientific study of the animal. Our team will push forward this work on our own end, as best as we can. Another animal that is almost as rare and elusive, which we have captured in our camera traps, is the marbled cat, and in good numbers. This indicates the prospects of a wide-scale scientific study in the area,” he added.
