Chandigarh seeks WFI help to contain monkey menace

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, April 30

The UT Forest Department has written to the Wildlife Institute of India (WFI), Dehradun, to study the behaviour and habitat of monkeys straying into the city.

Scientists of the premier institute have been requested to carry out the study in order to find a solution to the menace that has been troubling residents in parts of the city. The scientists will suggest measures to be taken to curb the problem.

December census

There were 1,326 monkeys in parts of the city. At 594, the highest concentration was in Sector 14 (Panjab University), followed by 200 in Sector 1, 88 in Sector 28 and 75 in Sector 27.

Forest officials said the WFI was a premier institute and its scientists had an expertise in dealing with issues of man-animal conflict.

Debendra Dalai, Chief Conservator of Forests, confirmed they had sent a letter to the WFI. “We catch around 170 monkeys annually from parts of the city. Still, these continue to roam parts of the city causing trouble to local residents,” said a forest official.

170 monkeys caught annually

We catch around 170 monkeys annually from the city. Still, these continue to roam parts of the city causing trouble to local residents. — Forest official

Municipal Corporation councillor Harpreet Kaur Babla said, “The situation is so bad in my ward (Sectors 27, 28, 29) that monkeys enter kitchens, open fridge and take away fruits. These even take away clothes and household goods kept on terraces. The animals keep jumping on terraces in search of food and break covers of water tanks. Simians get violent or attack people if someone tries to shoo these away.”

In December last year, the Forest Department carried out its first monkey census. It found there were 1,326 monkeys in parts of the city. At 594, the highest concentration was in Sector 14 (Panjab University), followed by 200 in Sector 1, 88 in Sector 28 and 75 in Sector 27.

The forest staff had caught 80 animals over the past five months (November-March) and released these into the wildlife sanctuary and other far-flung areas.

The department says it has placed nets at 25 vulnerable spots to catch monkeys, but residents feel it is not enough to tackle the problem. While the residents say there is a need to change the strategy, the officials advise people not to feed the animals to contain the menace.