Indian scientists have recorded presence of White-Cheeked Macaque (Macaca leucogenys) from central Arunachal Pradesh. With this discovery, a new mammal has entered in India’s list.
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- The species was discovered in 2015 by a group of Chinese scientists from the Modog region in southeastern Tibet.
- As far as India is concerned, the species has not been sighted or reported after a single incidence of photographic capture from Anjaw district, Arunachal Pradesh in 2015.
- Later, scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) led by Mukesh Thakur collected a few faecal samples from Central Arunachal Pradesh, which on DNA analysis ended up to be White-Cheeked Macaques.
- White-Cheeked Macaque was reported from West Siang about 197 km away from China.
- White- Cheeked Macaques are distinct from other macaques found in the region by displaying white cheeks, long and thick hairs on the neck area, and a longer tail.
- White Cheeked Macaque has not been yet included in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 of India.
- White-Cheeked Macaques, Arunachal Macaque , Assamese Macaque (Macaca assamensis) and Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta) were reported from the same landscape.
- The number of mammals reported from India now stands at 434.
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