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[Carrie McLaren <cm AT stayfreemagazine.org>]

Court urged to end monkey business
Wed Nov 8, 2006 9:46am ET15
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2006-11-08T144558Z_01_DEL86095_RTRUKOC_0_US-INDIA-MONKEYS.xml

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - An Indian state government has asked the 
country's highest court to help get a monkey off its back -- or 
rather about 300 monkeys.

The Madhya Pradesh government asked the supreme court not to force it 
to accept 300 stray monkeys rounded up in the national capital, New 
Delhi, after judges earlier ordered the pesky primates to be 
relocated there.

In its application, the Madhya Pradesh government said previous 
attempts to provide new homes for urbanized monkeys had resulted in 
clashes between them and local residents.

"The behavior and pattern of living of these monkeys has led to 
serious problems for local inhabitants," the state said, arguing that 
the urbanized monkeys showed absolutely no fear of humans.

"They tend to be aggressive and attack local inhabitants in general, 
children in particular."

The state also argued the imported monkeys had various diseases which 
threatened the health of other indigenous wildlife, and their 
excessive appetites had led to a decline in bird populations as both 
species competed for similar food.

Monkeys are a common sight in many Indian centers, but are 
occasionally rounded up by authorities when they become too much of a 
pest.

Authorities are reluctant to cull them as many Hindus worship the 
monkey god Hanuman, seen as a symbol of strength, perseverance and 
devotion.