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Free-Ranging Rhesus Macaque Had Obstructive Dystocia After Suspected Fall Trauma

Rhesus macaque in an urban area of Gurgaon, India
Research · Reproduction & development

A free-ranging pregnant rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) was rescued in India with severe systemic compromise after suspected trauma from a fall from height. The case report, published on 28 February 2026, described an adult female weighing about 6–7 kg that was deeply unconscious, with respiratory depression, cardiovascular instability, hyperthermia and abdominal contusions.

Vaginal examination found complete cervical dilation, but both forelimbs of the fetus were flexed rather than positioned for normal delivery. The veterinarians diagnosed obstructive dystocia — a mechanically blocked birth — caused by the abnormal fetal position. After emergency stabilization, they corrected the limb position manually and used obstetrical forceps to assist delivery.

The fetus was a stillborn female. Measurements corresponded to approximately 168 days of gestation, placing it near term. After emergency treatment, the mother’s heart rate and breathing improved, the bleeding was brought under control and she regained consciousness during post-procedure monitoring.

The authors report an association between the suspected fall trauma, advanced pregnancy and the obstetric emergency, but could not establish that the fall caused the dystocia or stillbirth. The timing of the injury was unknown, and placental or histopathological examination was not available to clarify the cause.

Sources and image credit

  1. Muththuswamy J., A., Sahu, U. K., Kumar, B., Srivastava, P., Patel, A., Porwal, M., Vadera, V., Singh, M., Pawde, A. M., Vandana, & Krishnaswamy, N. (2026). High-rise syndrome associated stillbirth and obstructive dystocia in a pregnant rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). Journal of Scientific Research and Reports, 32(3), 28–36. https://doi.org/10.9734/jsrr/2026/v32i34025Primary case report published 28 February 2026. A free-ranging pregnant rhesus macaque rescued after suspected fall trauma had obstructive dystocia caused by bilateral forelimb flexion of the fetus. Assisted delivery produced a stillborn near-term female; the mother improved after emergency treatment. The authors did not establish that the suspected fall caused the dystocia or stillbirth.

Image: Slyronit — wild rhesus macaque in Sector 22, Gurgaon, Haryana, India, photographed 10 October 2014; Wikimedia Commons. Representative image for this story; not presented as an animal or scene from the reported study or event. · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source

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