The Monkey Problem In India
There are several places across the planet where there are conflicts with wildlife. The invasion of these animals’ habitats has led to such conflicts, although there are few like that of apes in India.
The dangers of monkeys in India
The latest protest in the city of Badnawar is yet another event involving these monkeys in India: a rhesus monkey has been ‘scaring’ the city, according to local media, and has already attacked several people, including a 60-year-old man who died. .
In fact, this is the latest of many events involving this type of primate in populated areas of India: from a monkey tossing thousands of rupees at passersby to the theft of food, as well as the destruction of infrastructure such as fiber optic cables by example.
A strategy against these primates
States in the Republic of India, such as Himachal Pradesh, took drastic measures due to the large number of incidents: in this area, there were 86 attacks between 2017 and 2018, which led the state to a sterilization campaign more than a decade ago.
However, the attacks do not seem to have subsided. After the failure in other states, the government is looking for alternatives, such as immunocontraception through vaccines. However, an oral vaccine that would work in rhesus monkeys would have to be developed.
The traditional application of this type of vaccine, in several doses and through an injection, makes the project unfeasible with current means.
Monkeys in India and plantations
One of the problems with the Indian government’s approach is the way these animals are captured: without a doubt, the extraction of animals from the natural environment affects the social structures of these primates massively, which is likely to fragment groups and make individuals more prone to attack the plantations.
The problem in rural areas is not so much the security of citizens as the impact this can have on small farmers.
It turns out that, although a decade ago their attacks were already viewed with fear, they meant losses of only 10% for the affected farmers, while in the last five years some have lost half of their harvest.
The most curious thing about this conflict with monkeys in India is that these animals are sacred in some areas of the country, so this is not a species against which there is a particular persecution.
In fact, measures in favor of sacrificing these animals were overturned by public pressure.
Conflicts like that of the monkeys in India are reminiscent of the urban wild boar problem in cities like Barcelona.
In the end, conflicts with wildlife must be addressed through dialogue with all parties, trying to ensure that these animals can live as wildly as possible without affecting our daily lives.
