1. Musculoskeletal injuries: prevalence and severity in free-range rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of Himalayan Shivalik Hills, Northern India.
- Author
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Kumar, Vipin and Sankhyan, Varun
- Subjects
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RHESUS monkeys , *WOUNDS & injuries , *ADULTS , *LOCAL culture , *MUSCULOSKELETAL system injuries - Abstract
The present study was conducted to estimate prevalence and nature of various musculoskeletal injuries in populations of free-ranging rhesus macaques in Shivalik Hills of Himachal Pradesh in Northern India. Data were collected over a period of 2 years and analyzed in relation to sex, age-group and season. In total, 1522 (44.6%) cases of musculoskeletal injuries were recorded; of these, 645 (47.1%) were males and 877 (43%) were females. Data revealed that differences observed between sex, season and age were statistically significant. Musculoskeletal injuries were more common during winter season followed by monsoon and then summer (27.4%). Males (47.1%) were injured more frequently than females (43.1%), while adults (47.9%) were injured more frequently than juvenile (42.8%) and young ones (28.8%). Of all the musculoskeletal injuries, wounds (84.5%) were most common followed by fractures (7.2%), amputations (4.5%) and snares/pellets (3.9%). The result from present study indicated that musculoskeletal injuries were frequent in rhesus macaque population studied. Musculoskeletal injuries occurring throughout year likely reflect the multiple causes viz predation, disease, vehicle trauma and electrocution, which may act independently or jointly. Understanding the role primates play in local culture and religion, therefore, is essential for understanding the underlying basis of commensalisms and conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
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