Human-Monkey Conflict in India: Controlling Monkey Menace in India with Available Solutions
Monkey Management’ is the most challenging issue, the forest and wildlife managers of India are facing today. On one hand monkeys have cultural, scientific and economic significance, on the other hand they have become a big nuisance as on today. The monkeys are leaving forests and are constantly migrating to urban, semi urban and rural areas. because of their shrinking habitat, and availability of delicious and easy food in urban areas. Human-monkey conflict has today attained a serious proportion. The human-monkey conflict management includes use of bioacoustics that produce distress noise and to scare away the monkeys, Immunocontraceptive vaccines, sterilization to control their population growth and protecting agriculture crops and orchards with live/appropriate fencing etc. The future management strategies could include oral contraceptives which can be fed with food, though their effectiveness is limited to only zoos. Himachal Pradesh (HP), which is the most affected due to Rhesus macaque, has resorted to sterilizing Rhesus. Himachal Pradesh Forest Department (HPFD) is well convinced with the success of monkey sterilization programme and is set to sterilize most of Rhesus population of the state. However, a change in the behaviour of sterilized monkeys has been observed and therefore, HPFD has been constantly proposing establishing ‘Vanar Vatikas’ (monkey shelter homes) with proper facilities for drinking water, shade, resting, feeding and ranging.
Monkeys come in groups of 15-20, making life of farmers and residents difficult in villages. The National Institute of Disaster Management stated that between 2007 and 2012, the Himachal Pradesh has lost 2,200 crore worth agriculture produce due to monkeys. Similarly, 250 villages in Jammu region lost farm produce in 15596 ha costing Rs 33 crore every year due to attacks by wild monkeys. In Karnataka, crops worth Rs 5 crore in 2010 were lost because of monkey’s attack. In Karkala taluka near Mangalore, close to 800 small farmers gave up cultivation after monkeys destroyed 75 per cent of crops in the area in 2012. This type of crop damage has been reported from different states of India including telugu speaking states. In India, a third of the world’s wild Rhesus macaques (common monkey) live. During sixties and seventies, agriculture was expanding in India, and that had mixed results for the monkeys as well. The increased food production that resulted from the Indian Green Revolution may have contributed to the recuperation of the monkeys’ population in the Eighties. Most of these monkeys (as many as 85%) live in close proximity to human settlements. Since the late Seventies, India’s macaque populations have been growing steadily. The ban on export of Rhesus has resulted in a phenomenal increase in their populations, and being a species that is well adapted to human habitation, this has consequently resulted in an increase in man-monkey conflicts. Monkeys are jungle animals who do not belong in cities, and who might prosper best away from humans. The monkeys have a higher life expectancy and due to assured food and safety left more time with them for procreation and better chances of survival. Further, people believe their relationship with the god Hanuman. Moreover, in urban areas, irresponsible feeding the monkeys at temples and other places has aggravated the monkey menace.
Why monkey menace in rural and urban areas:
The man-animal conflict is mainly because of destruction and disturbances of wildlife habitats . The human settlements in and around forests is leading to displacement of animals from their habitat which directly affect the food availability of wild animals. As a result, the struggle of wild animals for food, water and space has expanded beyond forest areas. Decrease in natural vegetation/ water sources (springs and small streams), leading to grim and difficult summers that pushes wild animals into villages close to the dwindling forests. The forests where monkeys live are void of food, leaving the monkeys with no choice but to look for food in human-occupied areas. Even the city dwellers are also struggling to cope with monkey menace. The monkey menace has been reported from almost all cities in India where monkeys encroaching and destroying property and robbing people. Many researchers blame humans for aggressive monkey behavior. A Rhesus macaque has to spend about 10 to 14 hours in search of food in forests while in dwellings of urban or human settlements in a rural area finding food takes only 10 minutes. According to a 2013 research carried out the Primate Research Laboratory of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, in south India Rheuses macaques breed at the rate of 36 per cent a year. The life expectancy of monkeys increased because of their proximity to villages and cities. In the forests, the monkey numbers are kept in check by a limited supply of natural forest foods and water and the wild primates up to 80 per cent die before adulthood. The government’s practice of translocation of monkeys from the cities to forest areas near rural areas is the other reason for behavioral shift in monkeys.
Over the past few decades there has been a steady and steep increase in the population of Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) commonly known as monkey. The population of monkeys has grown at an alarming rate during the last decade. According to the last count there were 50 million monkeys in India which has resulted in their migration from the forest areas towards towns and cities and also to the cultivated areas. There is no centralised data bank on monkey raids in the country. According to the official and media reports, 20 States/UTs have reported significant crop damages due to monkey attacks. In 2018, about 250 villages in Jammu reported loss of farm produce worth Rs. 33 crore because of invasion by wild monkeys.
Crops damaged by the Monkeys are a matter of grave concern. Monkeys like a wide range of food, including roots, shoots, leaves, fruits even grasses. The large tracts/chunk of agriculture land has been left barren due to huge armies of defiant monkeys. Gross cropped area of Jammu Division is 7.48 lakh ha, out of which 0.335 lakh ha area is affected due to monkey menace, affecting 81298 farming families covering 1590 villages with economic loss ranging from 15 to 40 % thus forcing the farmers to abandon the agriculture activities and seek migration to cities and other areas to eke out their livelihood due to their adversely affected agrarian economy. Monkeys also cause substantial losses to the fruit crops like mango, guava, grapes, citrus fruits, litchi, pear, peach, plum, apricot etc. in large area of the UT resulting in a great loss to the orchardists. It is observed that the incident rate is more during early morning and evening.Moreover, migration of monkeys resulted in decline of the seed dispersal of wildplants of the forest area which can endanger some forest plant species. Due to religious sentiments monkeys can also not be killed.
States attempt to fight the menace—–
The state governments swung into action for control of monkeys as they are damaging crops. The strategies include, culling and sterilization (Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh) which had limited success and awareness campaigns not to feed monkeys. Some states tried employing ultrasonic guns that can scare monkeys away and create van vatika or small sanctuaries for different troops. Monkeys are territorial; they monitor their neighbour’s movements and discover food source, and also left undefended by their rival monkeys. The monkeys live groups and when the population of monkey’s increases they another group. New monkeys fill the void and their numbers soon swell to match the original pest populations. The Telangana state plans to increase tree cover from the present 24 per cent to 33 per cent and increase the food for monkey’s in forests.
How to protect crops from monkeys:
India needs a combination of strategies, from a new institutional mechanism to adopting new technological solutions. First, management of monkeys as a species needs to be brought under the Union list of the Constitution, which will enable a national programme to monitor, control their population and plan for effective strategies. The experiences of Hong Kong and Japan combine well-targeted popular methods like sterilisation and culling as well as technological innovations to keep monkeys at bay. Between 2008 and 2012, the birth rate fell from 68.9 per cent to 30.2 per cent, according to a study by Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2013. Japan gained control over the monkey population with a series of policies that included targeted culling, reviving of natural habitats and employing people to guard crops against attacks. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, and Via Life, a Bengaluru-based company developed a low-cost acoustic device which repel animals from entering the farms. The Central Zoo Authority of India in collaboration with the National Primate Center in California, developed a strategy with the Wildlife Institute of India to use oral contraceptives, female sterilization and vasectomies, however, this does not help. The India’s Union environment ministry refused a proposal by the Himachal Pradesh government to declare monkeys as vermin in March 2014. On the other hand, the ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) issued a notification in December, 2014, seeking opinion from states on the menace caused by nilgais or blue bulls and wild boars. Monkeys are known to be scared of Langurs (Black faced monkeys) and won’t come anywhere close if Langurs are present. A trained Langur will take care of entire farm. Sealed small packets of boneless dry fish pieces kept around the field, the practice of driving them away by beating drums and using well trained dogs, throughing of bananas and biscuits mixed with red chilli powder in front of them, use loud-speakers to play sound of 4-5 dogs barking, Use Fire crackers (which make huge sound) like rasi bum/ sutli-bum and denying the monkey’s acces to food in residential areas and not feeding them are some of the methods adopted for driving away of monkey’s. The fruit trees around the house are a potential food source that could attract monkeys. If this is a consistent problem, consider not to cultivate fruit trees. Similarly growing of vegetables also. It is also needed to monkey-proof all the houses by a mesh covering. Education and awareness raising are essential for long-term solutions to be successful. Repelling monkeys by human scaring, deploying an electronic sound repellent. The sounds cause stress and discomfort for monkeys in the area, who will move away and avoid the sound. Growing of Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana) a slow growing tree with unique foliage and one of the hardiest of the conifer family, originally found on the lower slopes of the Chilean Andes which grow to a height of 40 metres scares the monkeys. The main approach in resolving human-monkey conflict is to forcibly trans-locate monkeys to a reserve. However, unless proper care is taken in providing food and water for the monkeys in that area, this creates problem in the new area.
Monkey species in India
Rhesus macaque/Macaca malatta (Pest)
Grey langur or Hanuman langur Semnopithecus sp. (Predator)
Man animal conflict in Siwalik foothills:
* Absence of prey, destruction of natural habitats and change in feeding habits.
* Destruction of wild fruit tree plantations / deforestation/ Scarcity of food in forests.
* Intensive Agriculture /Increased urbanisation /Climate change.
* Feeding monkeys with gram, bread and fruit as a religious activity.
* Inefficient garbage and waste management system has provided them ample food in the form of leftovers.
Suggestive Measures: The problem of monkeys menace is of a complex nature and needs a co-ordinated effort by the Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Forest Departments, Wildlife Protection Department & SKUAST-Jammu to work out urgent short term measures to provide immediate relief and also needs a framework for long term and lasting solution. To strike a balance, Ecological Solution is the only answer. Integrated Farming System (IFS) approach under which the following activities are required to be adopted.
* Cultivation of crops not damaged by monkeys are root crops viz. Ginger, Turmeric, Colocasia, Alocasia, Yam (Zimikand), marigold, lime, lemon, Bael, lemon grass and Lavender etc.
* Promotion of dairy farming on large scale, which requires area expansion/diversification under fodder cultivation, creation of fodder banks (green/dry) and grass mandis at grass root level.
* Promotion of fodder cultivation along with suitable cropping systems.
* On farm evaluation of fodder technologies for combating monkey menace.
* Inclusion of Agroforestry in the IFS for fruit, fodder, fuel and Timber.
* On farm evaluation of fodder technologies is the need of the hour for combating monkey menace.
Intervention
Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) / methods
* In most of the farmland areas, farmers guard their fields with sticks and use trained dogs to scare away the monkeys from their fields. To protect the crops, farmers deploy labours to protect the crops. Cost of labour is very high due to shortage of labour in the State and labour from Nepal, UP& Bihar are routinely hired for this purpose. Deployment of labour to guard field crops from monkey menace do not always guarantee 100% protection of crops due to human limitations of functioning in difficult terrain and adverse weather and night hours. Farmers also use crackers, gun fires for scaring away the monkeys/ wild animals.
* Whip rope sound/Shrill Noise: Monkeys hate shrill noise. Collect nearly 100 such sound clips like Lion, Tiger, Langur from internet, edit them and transfer to a pen drive and play these predator animal sounds with an audio device that runs on a mobile battery by fixing the device on any tree / hardy plant / pole and play for 6 hours / day where monkey menace is at its peak. Keep changing the files so that monkeys should not get use of it (practiced in Punjab).Farmers in rural areas of Jammu use a three band tapering rope (Tratta) for creating gun fire like cracking sound for scaring wild animals and birds.
* Reflective ribbons: In Varanasi fences are being made with reels of audiotape that are wrapped round the bamboo stands. Reflective ribbons are also used as repellant.
* Using dry fish as repellant: Some farmers hang dry fish on the branches / keep sealed small packets with boneless dry fish pieces around the field.On opening the packets, monkeys rub the hands to get rid of smell till it bleeds. They never enter the same field with their team.
Monkey Trap: The trap ¡§consists of a hollowed-out coconut, chained to a stake. The coconut has some rice/banana inside which can be grabbed through a small hole¡¨. The monkey¡¦s hand fits through the hole, but his clenched fist can¡¦t fit back out. The monkey is suddenly trapped. A terrified monkey along with his team avoids coming to the area again.
Promotion of Sustainable and long term interventions
* Crop diversification: Cultivation of crops not liked by monkeys should be promoted in the affected areas:
a) Root crops such as Ginger, Turmeric, Colocasia, Alocasia, Yam (Zimikand) b) Horticulture crops such as marigold, lime, lemon, aonla, karonda, bael, anardana etc. c) Medicinal & Aromatic plants such as Sarpgandha, Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Kalmegh, Shatavari, Tulsi, Aloe vera, Artimisia, lemongrass, lavender and citronella, geranium etc.
* Integrated Farming System (IFS): Promotion of dairy farming on large scale should be promoted for which creation of fodder banks (green/dry) and grass mandis at local level have to be established. Bee keeping and mushroom growing may also be adopted as an alternative source of income.
* Solar Fencing: While number of alternative methods is practiced by farmers and Government to protect the crops from damage by monkeys and wild animals, none of these assure 100% success in crop protection. A new technique of power fencing is seen as ultimate solution. The solar powered fence electrifies the fence with pulsating current and these pulses are the ¡§shock¡¨ felt by an animal that touches an electrified fence. Unlike a conventional fence, an electric fence is a psychological barrier such that animals learn to respect the fence. Any periphery can be solar fenced, though the cost differs with respect to the area to be fenced. The fence is like barbed wire fencing with multiple strands of plain wires and metal/cement/ wooden posts to hold the strand in position. The wires carry high voltage current. The Solar Power fence gives a sharp, short but a non-lethal shock to the intruder and creates psychological fear, against any tampering. The alarm incorporated in the system gets activated and alert the inmates of the protected area.
These are tailor made fences and can be designed according to need and site condition. The average cost per running meter of rows fence comes to Rs.396/Meter (approx).
* Use of Plastic fences: Polypropylene fences/Fish nets (Nets) are generally less expensive and easier to install and repair than other types. Additionally, these fences are widely acceptable and meet various regulations.
* Use of concertina wire: Mesh of metal strips with sharp edges whose purpose is to prevent passage by humans can be used. The term “razor wire”, through long usage, has generally been used to describe barbed tape products. This wire can be used to protect kitchen gardens & high value Horticultural Plants in the highly affected areas.
* Monkey scare gun: It is a potential device to protect agricultural crops from monkeys.The cannon fires with a loud sound due to combustion of gas.Through the sound produced by the use of calcium carbide (available in welding shops), 2-3 acres are covered. It is easy and safe to use when compared with PVC Cannon. The device is harmless for humans and Monkeys.If used properly, the device would last for 10 Years.
* Modern Monkey Traps: Modern monkey traps are cost effective and can be used to catch the monkey and shift them to their natural habitat.
Policy Decisions Required:
* Sterilization/ Castration: Cruel and barbaric control methods like killing are inexcusable. Sterilization can be a better option. For sterilization/castration of monkeys, creation of proper infrastructure and man-power are needed. Amazing work carried out by the wildlife wing of the ¡§Himachal Pradesh Forest Department¡¨ had a major impact on the control of monkeys throughout India and can be adopted. A female monkey is sterilized in just one and a half minutes and that a male vasectomy takes about the same time. It is easily possible for one small team to efficiently sterilize at least 60 monkeys in a day. Himachal Pradesh has sterilised at least 1.4 million monkeys since 2006 to 2018. As a result of the constant efforts put in by the forest department of HP, now the numbers of Rhesus macaques have started dwindling.
* Wildlife (Protection Act 1972): Under part I schedule II of Wildlife Protection Act monkey (Rhesus macaque) is a protected wild animal and can¡¦t be killed. Further, Wild life department has issued notice viz-a-viz that any feeding, luring, baiting to monkeys is an offence under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act and punishable accordingly. This will lead to seizing, confiscating food articles, vehicles as well as fine and imprisonment. The provision of this Act should be implemented in letter and sprit so that the man animal conflict can be checked.
* Amendments in the Wildlife (Protection Act 1972): Keeping in view the above facts, significance of loses of agriculture crops and to public lifein general some appropriate amendments in the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 are required for curbing the menace of monkeys. Rhesus macaque (Macaca Mulatta) figure in Schedule II Part-1 17-A of the Act can be declared Vermin in view of Section 2(34), 61 & 62 of the Act.
* Inter-departmental Co-ordination: Combinations of strategies are needed to control the monkey menace in the state.
Controlling Monkey Menace in India
