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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

Mitigation of Impact of National Highway-58 on Indian Primate, Hanuman Langur (Presbitis Entellus) in Uttarakhand Himalayas

Roads are amongst the most ubiquitous human infrastructure and their interaction with the natural habitat of wild animals is all pervasive. The environmental impacts of roads are numerous and include direct effects on the wild animal population, whose home ranges are split by roads and where individuals suffer mortality and death due to collisions with vehicles. Vehicle collisions with wild animals are a serious problem that justifies the widespread application of mitigation measures. National Highway-58 (538 km) traverses 373 km in Uttarakhand and caters to the need of a high volume of pilgrims to the world famous Indian shrines – Badrinath, Kedarnath and Hemkund Saheb. The study area has a length of 70 km of NH-58 from Rishikesh to Devprayag along the river Ganga. The highway is constructed and maintained by the Indian Army from Rishikesh to Mana. Large scale road widening activities have been in progress for the last five years on NH-58 in Uttarakhand. This highway has also a strategic importance, as it connects with Tibet and China. The Indian primate Hanuman Langur (Presbytis entellus) is large, black faced, grey bodied with long limbs and a tail longer than its head and body, and which is very common in the study area. This Indian primate is a sacred animal and treated as a Hanuman God in India. The entire study area with six sampling sites (S1-S6) was thoroughly surveyed for the period October 2009 to September 2011. Specific feeding and mating grounds, and crossing zones were visited frequently. Ecological responses including the mating behaviour, close watch during morning and evening, cause of conflicts, and spots of accidental deaths in vehicle accidents of Hanuman Langur were thoroughly investigated. A total population of Hanuman Langur was recorded as 546 in the study area in different groups of 10-12 individuals. The impact of NH-58 and its widening on Hanuman Langur resulted in the form of habitat fragmentation and modifications, restriction of movement, injury and mortality, soil erosion and hydrological alterations and environmental contamination. NH-58 has turned a natural habitat area into isolated small patches of habitats. Gaps between habitats prevented dispersal and recruitment of Hanuman Langur. The mean frequency of heavy vehicles (truck, bus, car, sumo, jeep, and trolley) was recorded as 414 vehicles per day on NH-58 during the two-year period of study. Maximum movement was recorded between 0600-0900 hours in the morning. Mean road kill of Hanuman Langur were recorded as 3 individuals per month. Killing was common at the sharp turns, slopes, near the water holes and small tracks which crossed the NH-58. A total of 72 animals (40-killed, 22-seriously injured, 10-sustained minor injuries) were met with vehicular accidents during the period of study. Male Hanuman Langur killed were significantly more than females. Maximum killings (15%) was recorded in May and minimum (2.1%) in January. It was 85% during the pilgrim season (May-October) in each year. Road kill disappeared within a few hours as a result of scavengers operating in the area. Appropriate mitigation measure for reducing the number of accidents and maintaining habitat connectivity has been suggested. These are an animal detection warning system, speed limit reduction (within 30 km.hr-1), automated speed detectors (interceptors), and the use of lighting reflectors during night for reducing collisions. Public education and awareness, fencing of numerous types, lengths and heights, placing culverts at frequent intervals, road bridges, underpasses, dry drainage use and designing of innovative vegetative overpasses connecting vegetation of both sides of the road at frequent intervals are very effective in mitigation.

  • Summary URL:
  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Abstract used with permission from the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation, organized by the Center for Transportation and the Environment, Institute for Transportation Research and Education, North Carolina State University.
  • Corporate Authors:

    North Carolina State University, Raleigh

    Center for Transportation and the Environment
    Raleigh, NC  United States  27695-8601
  • Authors:
    • Sharma, Ramesh C
  • Conference:
  • Publication Date: 2013

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 14p
  • Monograph Title: Proceedings of the 2013 International Conference on Ecology and Transportation (ICOET 2013)

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01558119
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Mar 27 2015 5:02PM