Mumbai: Newborn macaque falls from tree after delivery, rescued by NGO

An abandoned new-born macaque (also called old world monkey) would have died of hunger or become prey to strays if it hadn’t been rescued by the residents of a Thane housing society. The helpless primate is now undergoing treatment and will be reunited with its mother after regaining health.

The animal was found on the sidewalk in a residential society of Vartak Nagar. RAWW founder Pawan Sharma, who is also honorary wildlife warden of Thane district, said, “The abandoned baby has now completely recovered. It was found separated from its parent, and even after several attempts could not be reunited. Hence a rescue had to be initiated. Meanwhile, our rehab team and Dr Rina Dev medically examined it, as locals indicated that it had fallen from a height.”

Sharma said the reports have revealed that it was undernourished and weak and so it was in ICU for a couple of days. It had minor injuries on one of its eyes and was also suffering from an umbilical infection, too. The RAWW team is charting out its next rehabilitation stage and is hoping for it to bounce back. “We currently have three more macaque babies and will integrate this one with them once it grows a little,” said Sharma.

The rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), colloquially rhesus monkey, is generally brown or grey in colour and is a native to south, central, and southeast Asia. It has the widest geographic range of all non-human primates, occupying a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, arid, forested areas, and also close to human settlements.

It has been used extensively in medical and biological research on human and animal health-related topics due to its relatively easy upkeep, availability, and closeness to humans anatomically and physiologically. It has facilitated many scientific breakthroughs like vaccines for smallpox, rabies, and polio. The rhesus macaque also became the first primate astronaut in 1948, but died during the flight.