Activity Budgeting of Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta, Zimmerman 1780) Along Altitudinal Gradient in Nepal.

The activity budgets of Rhesus monkey vary depending on altitude, topography, climate, food resource, vegetation and other factors. This study was done to compare the activity budget of Rhesus monkey along the altitudinal gradient of Eastern Nepal from 93 to 1250 meter for one year (May 2022 to April 2023). We followed scan sampling method to record the behavioural activities. We found no relation between the altitude of habitat and composition of population of monkey (df= 8, χ²= 0.318, p<0.05). Foraging and moving were found increased with altitude but grooming decreased. The time spent by monkey for different activities was strongly related to changing seasons in habitats of different elevations. There was strong relation of activities with the elevation of habitat on the annual analysis (df = 14, F = 140.73, p value= 9.57E-09). The time budgeting was strongly related with the part of diurnal time (Plain (r =0.33), Churia (r = 0.75) and Mahabharat (r= 0.95)). The places for foraging, moving, grooming, inactive and fighting were varied in different elevations. Our study gives crucial information for the sustainable management of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]