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[Carrie McLaren <carrie AT stayfreemagazine.org>]

Nuisance monkeys could be exported
By Baldev Chauhan
BBC correspondent in Simla, Himachal Pradesh

Officials in the northern Indian state of 
Himachal Pradesh may have a solution to the 
problem of an over abundance of monkeys - export 
them to Central Asia.

Officials in the state see urban monkeys as 
little more than nuisances who pester passers-by 
and steal food.

Himachal Pradesh has one of the largest monkey 
populations in the country - nearly a quarter of 
a million, according to the latest count last 
year.

Now the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan has 
offered to import monkeys captured by the state's 
wildlife department in the state capital, Simla.

The round-up of monkeys was launched to clear the 
resort town of the primates and release them in 
sanctuaries across the state.

Valuable commodities

Close to 500 have been caught and are now in 
cages, much to the relief of monkey-harassed 
residents and tourists who are heaving huge sighs 
of relief.

And it seems that animals unwanted in Himachal 
Pradesh are regarded as valuable commodities in 
other parts of the world.

"The Tajikistan government has sent a letter to 
the Indian government requesting the import of 
monkeys," said AK Gulati, the state's wildlife 
chief.

"The central government in turn wrote to the 
state government for monkeys, and we are now 
considering exporting them."

Officials say the Indian monkeys are likely to be 
housed in zoos and sanctuaries across Tajikistan.

There is no shortages of candidates for export.

It is estimated that there are around 2,000 
monkeys in Simla alone, including the more 
populous red bottomed monkey and black faced 
langoor.

They have a notorious reputation in the town as 
pests capable of getting into homes, stealing 
food and destroying gardens.

They have also been known to attack fruit and 
vegetable carriers, in addition to flipping open 
dustbins and scattering rubbish all over the 
streets.


Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/3621348.stm

Published: 2004/09/02 14:52:39 GMT

© BBC MMIV