In earlier times, human-monkey interactions were not a severe problem in Sri Lanka, but has recently intensified as a result of habitat fragmentation and urbanization.  Due to these changes, Semnopithecus vetulus nestor has been listed among the 25 most Endangered primates.  The objective of our study was to evaluate the intensity of human-S.v. nestor negative interaction by identifying the crop and property damages in villages bordering Danawkanda Forest (7.001N & 80.049E), Gampaha, Sri Lanka.  We collected data using structured questionnaires interviewing households (N= 80) bordering the Danawkanda Forest from August 2014 to January 2015.  Households were most affected by damage to fruits, leaves, and buds of commercially important trees (93%), followed by damage to roof tiles (76%), and frightful confrontations with the monkeys (43%).  Average monthly loss per household from crop and property damage was estimated at between (Sri Lankan Rupees) LKR 2,700 and LKR 1,500.  Lighting firecrackers was the most common method used by the residents (99%) to deter monkeys, where as electrified barriers were rarely used (4%).  Households in close proximity to Danawkanda Forest experienced a considerable loss to their monthly income due to crop and property damage, compared to households further away.  As an alternative, residents now grow ornamental plants and short trees, eliminating the structures that attract and facilitate damage by S.v. nestor.  Awareness and active participation of residents, authorized government, and non-governmental organizations are needed to manage unplanned construction and agriculture plot extensions into the forest.  These two factors trigger the human-wildlife negative interactions in general and are not limited just to monkeys.

Macaca sinica is the smallest of all 22 extant macaque species in the world. There are three geographically isolated endemic sub-species of M. sinica: M. s. sinica, M. s. aurifrons and M. s. opisthomelas in Sri Lanka. Macaques adjust their activities to deal with changeable environments like weather changes and food availability fluctuations, proving their plasticity nature. Current study focused on assessing the temporal variation of activity budgets and effects of temperature on their activity pattern. Behavioral data were collected using scan sampling method. Overall activity budget analysis found that they allocate more time on resting (32.60 ± 4.97%), whereas less time spent for moving (26.30 ± 3.15%) and feeding (19.60 ± 2.97%). Moving was negatively correlated with monthly average temperature (r= -0.489 p= 0.029). The study found that time allocation for moving was reduced to compensate their thermoregulatory cost in terms of energy. This suggests that changes in movements of M. s. aurifrons are a useful indicator in assessing environmental changes such as temperature alterations.

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This is the first study to record cases of predation and scavenging of the family Agamidae and related foraging behaviour within a social group of Macaca sinica (the toque macaque). We observed three incidences of the capture and consumption of two species, Calotes liolepis and, Calotes versicolor, and one case of scavenging of a carcass of C. liolepis. While common for macaques, this behaviour has been under-reported in M. sinica. Further studies of predation and scavenging behaviour in a cercopithecine species contribute to our understanding of hunting and its evolution in other primate taxa.