The #1 source for news about monkeys and apes

[Josh Greenman <joshg1973 AT yahoo.com>]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030219/ap_wo_en_ge/as_gen_india_monkey_grave_1

Report: Mass grave of 50 poisoned monkeys found in southern India 

Wed Feb 19, 8:41 AM ET  


NEW DELHI, India - Villagers in southern India found the remains of some 50 
monkeys
poisoned and buried in a coconut grove — but rescued a baby monkey, a news 
report said
Wednesday. 


The carcasses were found Tuesday in Muttara Village in the southern coastal 
state of
Kerala, village council president C. Raju was quoted as saying by the Press 
Trust of
India. 


A baby monkey separated from its dead mother was rescued by a village woman, 
Raju said.
It was not known when the monkeys had died. 


Villagers informed wildlife authorities, who were investigating. 


Some local farmers apparently mixed poison in food to kill the monkeys after 
they began
swarming local farmlands from nearby forests and destroyed crops, the report 
said. 


The monkeys' exodus from the forests, in turn, was caused by industrial 
activity in the
neighboring Maruthimala Forests that has shrunk their habitats, local 
residents said. 


Kerala is one of India's most densely forested states, but increasing 
industrialization
and poaching on forest land is pitting farmers against elephants, monkeys and 
other
animals who have invaded villages in search of food.