On 19 June 2026 the Meghalaya State Zoo, Shillong, recorded the first successful birth of a Stump‑tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides) at the facility; the neonate is healthy and remains under veterinary observation with its mother and troop.
The Event
- Date & location: 19 June 2026, Meghalaya State Zoo, Shillong.
- Source of breeding pair: Transferred from Aizawl Zoological Park, Mizoram via inter‑zoo animal‑exchange programme.
- Current status: Neonate healthy; managed within maternal troop under zoo veterinary care.
Species Profile
- Scientific name: Macaca arctoides.
- Common name: Stump‑tailed Macaque.
- IUCN status: Vulnerable (IUCN Red List).
- Primary threats: Habitat loss, fragmentation and human disturbance.
Conservation Relevance
- Ex‑situ role: Captive breeding to maintain viable populations outside wild habitats.
- Genetic management: Animal exchanges enable demographic and genetic coordination across institutions.
- Zoo functions: Veterinary care, managed breeding and public education on species survival.
Institutional & Legal Linkages
- Meghalaya State Zoo / Aizawl Zoo: State zoological institutions participating in coordinated breeding.
- Regulatory framework: Central Zoo Authority guidelines and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 govern zoo standards and wildlife transfers.
IASPOINT Booster Facts
- IUCN “Vulnerable”: Taxon faces high risk of extinction in wild under IUCN criteria.
- Ex‑situ vs in‑situ: Ex‑situ = conservation outside natural habitat; in‑situ = conservation within natural habitat.
- CZA: Central Zoo Authority prescribes standards for zoo management, animal transport and captive breeding protocols in India.