J Med Primatol doi:10.1111/jmp.12168
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Seasonal electrocution fatalities in free-range rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of Shivalik hills area in northern India Vijay Kumar1 & Vipin Kumar2 1 Veterinary Officer-Wild Life, Monkey Sterilization Centre, Kangra, India 2 Veterinary Officer-Wild Life, Monkey Sterilization Centre, Hamirpur, India
Keywords electrocution – flash burns – mortality – rhesus macaques – Shivalik hills Correspondence Vijay Kumar, Veterinary Officer-Wild Life, Monkey Sterilization Centre, Gopalpur, Kangra, H.P. 176059, India. Tel.: +91- 9459133330; e-mail: [email protected] Accepted January 19, 2015.
Abstract Background The arboreal nature of rhesus macaques makes them vulnerable to electrocution from high-voltage industrial supply as well as low-tension domestic wires. The data on pattern of electrocution injuries and electrocution mortalities in free-ranging rhesus macaques are rarely reported. Methods From January 2011 to 2013, the cases of accidental electrocution injuries were recorded in difference to sex, age group, season, body region distribution, contact details, and extent of injuries in free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of Shivalik hill areas. Results electrocution injuries were highest in juveniles (52.05%), followed by adults (30.13%) and old (10.95%) rhesus macaques. Of the 73 cases recorded, 23 (31.50%) succumbed to death following severe electrocution and associated injuries. The intensity and body region distribution of electrocution injuries was recorded. Conclusion High-voltage current is the most common factor for fatal injuries. Strategies to avoid such electrocutions include burying all lines and transformers, shielding and insulating all high-tension lines, installing bridges that monkeys, and other arboreal species can use to move around.
Introduction Of the 15 species of non-human primates present in India, only three are commensal, the Rhesus (Macaca mulatta), Bonnet (Macaca radiata), and the Common langur (Seminopithecus entellus). Of these, only the Rhesus macaque (M. mullatta) is the most common commensal monkey of North India [23, 30]. These gregarious monkeys which live in groups of up to 30 individuals have managed to survive in cities and also thrive is a testament to this fact as a result of which the conflict between humans and these primates is common and increasing [9, 19, 31]. In Himachal Pradesh, for example, nearly 68,000 of the approximately 2, 24,000 rhesus macaque population occur in rural and urban areas of the Shivalik hills. Moreover, this population is stated to be on the rise and macaque J Med Primatol 44 (2015) 137–142 © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
increasingly becoming commensal due to change in their feeding habits in a wide range of habitats. The commensal behavior of monkey is attributed to increased interaction of these primates with humans especially in urban areas, road sides, villages and other public places etc. The monkey human interaction is increasingly acquiring monkey man conflict dimensions often referred to as ‘monkey menace’. Some aspects of city life are very dangerous like treacherous roads, electric cable wires crisscrossing all over the place and of course the petty attitudes of some people and dogs. Macaques mainly because of their arboreal and climbing nature are highly vulnerable to electrocution by electric wires. Macaques are highly susceptible to electric injuries and often get electrocuted by low-tension household current or from high-tension electric wires.
137
Electrocution fatalities in rhesus macaques
Electrical injuries are conventionally divided into high or low voltage using 500 or 1000 V as the most common dividing lines. Although both high and low voltage can cause significant morbidity and mortality, high-voltage results in greater current flow and therefore has a greater potential for tissue destruction leading to major amputations and tissue loss [12]. Fatal electrocutions and injuries occur when monkeys traveling in the trees grasp uninsulated electrical lines or transformer leads. Even when the animals survive, they often are severely burned and likely to lose a hand. Exposure to high-voltage electric currents in the form of electrocution causes sudden nervous shock with temporary unconsciousness or immediate death. Electrocuted monkeys can die immediately or, in an effort to soothe the pain, bite their wounds, and an infection ends up killing them. Nervous signs may, however, persist after recovery from shock [5, 11]. Electric injuries also lead to severe systemic disturbances and massive local tissue injuries [33]. These injuries are characterized by small are of cutaneous or oral mucosal necrosis and deep necrosis of soft tissues [6]. The animal in such cases needs an emergency and critical care for survival. Various authors have reported accidental cases of electrocution injuries in various animals [4, 22, 25] and as well as in humans [1, 13–15, 17, 18]. However, the data on electrocution injuries in free-ranging macaques are rarely reported. This study was undertaken in an attempt to study the accidental electrocution injuries in free-range rhesus macaques in Shivalik hills area of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. Materials and methods This study was carried out to record data on fatal electrocution injuries in free-range rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), captured from various locations in Shivalik hill areas of Himachal Pradesh, India over a period of 2 years since January 2011 to 2013. All the cases with a history of electric injuries by high-voltage tension wires and/or household wires and those, recovered directly from the electrocuted spots, were brought to the Rescue and Rehabilitation Centres at Gopalpur and Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India. The electrocuted cases were mostly rescued by concerned wildlife officials directly from the electrocution spot and also sometime brought to center by local villagers and the trapping staff with in the minimum possible time ranging from
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Seasonal electrocution fatalities in free-range rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of Shivalik hills area in northern India Vijay Kumar1 & Vipin Kumar2 1 Veterinary Officer-Wild Life, Monkey Sterilization Centre, Kangra, India 2 Veterinary Officer-Wild Life, Monkey Sterilization Centre, Hamirpur, India
Keywords electrocution – flash burns – mortality – rhesus macaques – Shivalik hills Correspondence Vijay Kumar, Veterinary Officer-Wild Life, Monkey Sterilization Centre, Gopalpur, Kangra, H.P. 176059, India. Tel.: +91- 9459133330; e-mail: [email protected] Accepted January 19, 2015.
Abstract Background The arboreal nature of rhesus macaques makes them vulnerable to electrocution from high-voltage industrial supply as well as low-tension domestic wires. The data on pattern of electrocution injuries and electrocution mortalities in free-ranging rhesus macaques are rarely reported. Methods From January 2011 to 2013, the cases of accidental electrocution injuries were recorded in difference to sex, age group, season, body region distribution, contact details, and extent of injuries in free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) of Shivalik hill areas. Results electrocution injuries were highest in juveniles (52.05%), followed by adults (30.13%) and old (10.95%) rhesus macaques. Of the 73 cases recorded, 23 (31.50%) succumbed to death following severe electrocution and associated injuries. The intensity and body region distribution of electrocution injuries was recorded. Conclusion High-voltage current is the most common factor for fatal injuries. Strategies to avoid such electrocutions include burying all lines and transformers, shielding and insulating all high-tension lines, installing bridges that monkeys, and other arboreal species can use to move around.
Introduction Of the 15 species of non-human primates present in India, only three are commensal, the Rhesus (Macaca mulatta), Bonnet (Macaca radiata), and the Common langur (Seminopithecus entellus). Of these, only the Rhesus macaque (M. mullatta) is the most common commensal monkey of North India [23, 30]. These gregarious monkeys which live in groups of up to 30 individuals have managed to survive in cities and also thrive is a testament to this fact as a result of which the conflict between humans and these primates is common and increasing [9, 19, 31]. In Himachal Pradesh, for example, nearly 68,000 of the approximately 2, 24,000 rhesus macaque population occur in rural and urban areas of the Shivalik hills. Moreover, this population is stated to be on the rise and macaque J Med Primatol 44 (2015) 137–142 © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
increasingly becoming commensal due to change in their feeding habits in a wide range of habitats. The commensal behavior of monkey is attributed to increased interaction of these primates with humans especially in urban areas, road sides, villages and other public places etc. The monkey human interaction is increasingly acquiring monkey man conflict dimensions often referred to as ‘monkey menace’. Some aspects of city life are very dangerous like treacherous roads, electric cable wires crisscrossing all over the place and of course the petty attitudes of some people and dogs. Macaques mainly because of their arboreal and climbing nature are highly vulnerable to electrocution by electric wires. Macaques are highly susceptible to electric injuries and often get electrocuted by low-tension household current or from high-tension electric wires.
137
Electrocution fatalities in rhesus macaques
Electrical injuries are conventionally divided into high or low voltage using 500 or 1000 V as the most common dividing lines. Although both high and low voltage can cause significant morbidity and mortality, high-voltage results in greater current flow and therefore has a greater potential for tissue destruction leading to major amputations and tissue loss [12]. Fatal electrocutions and injuries occur when monkeys traveling in the trees grasp uninsulated electrical lines or transformer leads. Even when the animals survive, they often are severely burned and likely to lose a hand. Exposure to high-voltage electric currents in the form of electrocution causes sudden nervous shock with temporary unconsciousness or immediate death. Electrocuted monkeys can die immediately or, in an effort to soothe the pain, bite their wounds, and an infection ends up killing them. Nervous signs may, however, persist after recovery from shock [5, 11]. Electric injuries also lead to severe systemic disturbances and massive local tissue injuries [33]. These injuries are characterized by small are of cutaneous or oral mucosal necrosis and deep necrosis of soft tissues [6]. The animal in such cases needs an emergency and critical care for survival. Various authors have reported accidental cases of electrocution injuries in various animals [4, 22, 25] and as well as in humans [1, 13–15, 17, 18]. However, the data on electrocution injuries in free-ranging macaques are rarely reported. This study was undertaken in an attempt to study the accidental electrocution injuries in free-range rhesus macaques in Shivalik hills area of Himachal Pradesh in northern India. Materials and methods This study was carried out to record data on fatal electrocution injuries in free-range rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), captured from various locations in Shivalik hill areas of Himachal Pradesh, India over a period of 2 years since January 2011 to 2013. All the cases with a history of electric injuries by high-voltage tension wires and/or household wires and those, recovered directly from the electrocuted spots, were brought to the Rescue and Rehabilitation Centres at Gopalpur and Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, India. The electrocuted cases were mostly rescued by concerned wildlife officials directly from the electrocution spot and also sometime brought to center by local villagers and the trapping staff with in the minimum possible time ranging from
