The forest department of Uttar Pradesh believes that monkeys are not wild animals. This is why the department is not responsible for any problems caused by monkeys. You may be wondering why this problem arises. In fact, the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh is terrorized by monkeys. Accidents are happening here every day because of monkeys. Incidents of monkeys biting people are also increasing. But the state government doesn’t seem to care.
Even Uttar Pradesh Forest Minister Arun Kumar said that monkeys are not wild animals. Therefore, it is not the responsibility of his department to control them. However, regarding monkeys, the minister must say that they are wild animals and cannot be controlled. This excluded the monkey from the category of wild life. But the forest minister definitely advised what people should do in such a situation. He said that if you are worried about monkeys, complain to the municipal corporation and the municipality.
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Monkeys are no longer a protected wildlife category.
Although it is true that monkeys no longer fall under the category of wildlife conservation. They have been removed from the wildlife protection category. Municipal Corporation, Municipality, Gram Panchayat can now hold them. Just make sure that the monkeys are captured and released in a suitable environment and that the monkeys are not harassed in the process. Before this amendment in the wildlife protection category, monkeys were considered as wild animals. Monkeys were protected by law under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. Under this act it was illegal to keep any wild animal as a pet.
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According to a Down to Earth report, primatologist Iqbal Malik, founding director of Samveeron, an NGO that studies monkeys, says, “Monkeys and humans have always lived in a stable and peaceful coexistence. Tensions, fears between the two.” And bitterness has only arisen in the last 50 years. “And we can only restore the relationship by understanding how it was broken.”
According to another primatologist, “The problem is two-fold. The first and most obvious reason is habitat loss due to the rapid increase in urbanization, industrialization and agriculture. But once the monkeys become accustomed to humans, they tend to return to their natural habitats.” Don’t like to go back into the habitat, we see it in the national parks as well as in the places along the highway, where tourists feed the monkeys.
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Lack of housing in urban areas and poor waste management systems make it easier for monkeys to access food. That’s why monkeys are coming to cities. Monkeys living in cities have become highly skilled, learning how to handle packaged food, open bottles, and sift through garbage. In urban areas where natural food is not available, monkeys rely entirely on human-provided food, garbage dumps, and raids on homes. Hence, waste management is essential to ensure reduction in their birth rate and aggression. However, the guidelines state that municipal authorities should tread carefully with this approach as disrupting the monkeys’ food supply makes them more aggressive.
How many species of monkeys are there in India?
There are many species of monkeys found in India, the most common being macaques and langurs. There are 10 species of monkeys found in India. All these species belong to two genera, Semnopithecus and Trachypithecus. The gray langur found in India is also a langur. Colobinae is a biological subfamily of primitive monkeys. It contains 59 biological species classified into 10 genera. There are 264 species of monkeys in the world. Monkeys are divided into two main types…
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New World Monkeys: These monkeys live in Central and South America. Their noses are flat and the nostrils are on the side.
Old World Monkeys: These monkeys live in Africa and Asia.
What is the population of monkeys in India?
According to a report published in June this year, the number of monkeys has decreased much less than expected. The long-tailed macaque, scientific name Macaca fascicularis, is native to countries such as India, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand and has a long history of living with humans. A study has reported that the population of long-tailed macaques has decreased by 80% compared to before. “We are suggesting to prioritize and improve conservation measures for this species,” the researcher said.
If we talk about Uttarakhand, in 2015 when the census was conducted, 1 lakh 46 thousand monkeys were found. But, 100,000 monkeys were found in the 2021 census. The main reason for this is believed to be the sterilization of monkeys in the state for the past several years. Experts also say that sterilization is the best way to control monkey population.
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Some more rules about monkeys
In India, there will now be no punishment for killing monkeys that roam outside the forest. After changes in the Wildlife Protection Act, monkeys have been removed from the category of vermin. Varmans are animals that are a threat to humans, cattle, crops or property. However, it is not allowed to kill monkeys in the forest. It is illegal to keep monkeys as pets. It is illegal to entertain people by keeping monkeys as sport or in captivity. According to Section 51 of the Wildlife Act 1972, no game can be taken with the life of any animal for entertainment. Monkey bite wounds are treated in the same way as dog bite wounds.
Tags: monkey problem, wild animals, wild life, Department of Wildlife
First Publication: October 25, 2024, 7:08 PM IST
Monkey problem News
