The Thenmala Macaque Project is situated around the Thenmala Dam, in the state of Kerala, India.
This location is considered an eco-tourism site and consists of three small villages, a number of eateries, and small shops. The field site also encompasses two offices – the District Forest Department and the Eco Tourism office.
A demographic survey carried out by the team in 2022 revealed the presence of approximately 10 bonnet macaque troops that reside in and around the field site. However, by 2023, this number has gone down to approximately 7 troops. This decline in numbers can be attributed mainly to the human-macaque conflict in the area as well as risks such as electrocution and accidents that are a result of existing in an anthropogenic landscape.
In addition to collecting behavioural data, the team also conducts workshops for the local communities in order to raise awareness about the conservation risks to the endemic bonnet macaque.