A monkey found in Arunachal Pradesh named after the strategic Sela Pass

Tags: State News

A new species of Old World monkey has been found in Arunachal Pradesh which is named after the strategic hill Sela Pass which is situated at an altitude of 13,700 feet above sea level.

• Sela macaque ( Macaca selai)

• The monkey is named Sela Macaque (Macaca sellai)

• The new primate was identified and analysed by a team of experts from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the University of Calcutta.

• The study is published in the latest edition of Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.

• The study revealed that the Sela macaque was geographically separated from the Arunachal macaque ( Macaca munzala) of Tawang district by Sela.

• According to the study, this mountain pass hindered the migration of these two species for about two million years. 

• The Sela macaque is genetically close to the Arunachal macaque in the study.

• According to villagers, sela macaque is a major cause of crop damage in West Kameng district of the state.

• About Sela Pass

• It is a high altitude mountain pass located on the border between Tawang and West Kameng districts in Arunachal Pradesh.

• Its elevation is 4170 metres and it connects the Indian Buddhist city of Tawang with Dirang and Guwahati.

• The pass carries National Highway 13 and connects Tawang to the rest of India.

• The pass is home to rare vegetation and is usually covered with snow to some extent throughout the year.

• The foundation stone of Sela Tunnel was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 9, 2019.