2 days ago
Study suggest ways to protect grey slender loris species from road accidents in Madurai
Based on the four-month-study carried out on the grey slender loris found in the villages of Kesampatti, Kambur, Sekkipatti at the foothills of Azhagarmalai in Melur, recommendations were made to protect the species from frequent road accidents in the region.
The study was conducted by A. Jeswin Smile, a postgraduate zoology student at The American College with primary objectives of understanding the distribution of slender loris in the district, by examining their activities.
He said that, 'In the Lorisidae family, two genera are found in India: grey slender loris (Loris lydekkerianus) and the Bengal slow loris (Nycticebus bengalensis). Among these, the grey slender loris is endemic to Sri Lanka and southern India. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the grey slender loris as a near threatened (NT) species and included it in the Red List, based on research indicating the threats it faces.'
The study was conducted across various habitats in the nearby areas, including sacred groves, riparian forests, hillocks, and agricultural landscapes.
During the survey, a total of 194 grey slender loris were recorded.
The highest number of mammals, 111, was observed in the village of Kesampatti, while the other two villages—Kambur and Sekkipatti—had 55 and 28 mammals, respectively.
The highest number of loris (91) was observed in December, while the lowest (17) was recorded in March, he added.
He said that the possible reason for the lower sightings of the mammal in March could be the usage of pesticides in mango plantations, which may have affected the natural behaviour and habitat use of the lorises.
As road accidents were found to be a major threat to the mammal species, species in the regions surrounding Melur, their natural habitat had suffered fragmentation, he stated.
Suggesting preventive measures to protect grey slender loris from such road accidents, Mr. Smile said that ladder-like canopy bridges could be installed to connect trees on either side of the road.
He added that the measure could prevent them from entering the road to cross roads.
'Warning boards and signs indicating 'loris crossing area' can be placed on both sides of the road at key crossing points,' he added.
Further, he said that areas with high loris density could be identified and declared as protected zones or biodiversity hotspots to ensure their conservation.
