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Food Provisioning and Season Reshaped Rhesus Macaque Behaviour Across Urban Uttar Pradesh

Two rhesus macaques at Agra Fort in Uttar Pradesh, India
Research · Behaviour

A two-year study of urban rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) across the semi-arid zone of Uttar Pradesh, India found marked differences in behaviour between districts and seasons. Researchers identified 42 troops across all seven districts in the study region and followed their movements and activity from April 2019 to March 2021.

Behaviour shifted with season and local conditions

Systematic observations of selected animals, combined with video-based behavioural coding, showed that foraging, locomotion and play were especially common in spring. In autumn, locomotion, maintenance behaviour, conflict and play increased. The authors also found clear behavioural variation among urban areas, associated particularly with differences in food availability.

Human provisioning altered behaviour and conflict

Human food provisioning changed natural activities such as foraging and grooming and increased reliance on human-provided food. At temple sites in Mathura, macaques were recorded snatching food or objects, begging and bartering during interactions with tourists. Conflict episodes were highest in Mathura, Agra and Aligarh.

The study links these patterns to several features of urban environments, including reduced green space, provisioning, high human population density, tourism and religious practices. The authors argue that managing urban macaque–human interactions requires a combination of ecological, planning, education, conservation and policy measures.

Sources and image credit

  1. Singh, D., & Bhatnagar, R. (2026). Behavioral repertoire of Macaca mulatta (Rhesus macaque) in urban areas of semi-arid zone of Uttar Pradesh. Ethology Ecology & Evolution. Advance online publication.Primary peer-reviewed study, published online 7 April 2026. The study followed 42 rhesus macaque troops across all seven districts in the semi-arid study region from April 2019 to March 2021 and found significant seasonal and local behavioural variation, including effects associated with human food provisioning.

Image: Thomas Schoch — rhesus macaques at Agra Fort, Uttar Pradesh, India, photographed 26 December 2007; directly relevant regional species image. Source: Wikimedia Commons. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source

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