Why in news? According to Karnataka Forest Department and Coimbatore-based Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Karnataka has the world’s largest population of lion-tailed macaques .

Highlights:

• It revealed that Uttara Kannada has been a significant and potential site for the conservation , considering the sizable canopy and undisturbed habitat as compared to the north of Sharavathi
• This is the first integrated Lion Tailed Macaque assessment exercise for the Sharavathi Valley Sanctuary, covering both Canara and Shivamogga circles
• Study was conducted at Sirsi-Honnavara and Shivamogga forest divisions with Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary and south of the Aghanashini River Valley.

Lion-tailed macaque