The Eastern Himalayan state of Arunachal Pradesh in India is a repository of extraordinary biological wealth. Rufford-supported expeditions to the high altitudes of Arunachal in 2003 and 2004 discovered a new species of macaque subsequently named the Arunachal macaque Macaca munzala. The discovery underlined a long-felt need to build and foster a constituency for conservation in this threatened global biodiversity hotspot. The project will harness the new-found interest in the Arunachal macaque to highlight the astounding wildlife of this region to a wider audience, and more importantly, use this to create a sense of regional pride.

We plan use a variety of popular media, including a documentary film and educational posters, which will be made widely accessible to schools, colleges and community groups in Arunachal Pradesh and elsewhere in the country. Working closely with the scientists who described the new macaque, the project will complement ongoing work on the ecology of the Arunachal macaque and add value to it by generating educational and awareness material for local and faraway audiences.

For linked projects, please refer to pages for Dr. Charudutt Mishra and Dr. Anindya Sinha of the Nature Conservation Foundation