More and more monkeys are entering Bengaluru in search of food, affecting residents living apartment complexes in newer parts of the city. The monkey's movement into city limits is likely the result of Bengaluru’s continued expansion into the outskirts, coupled with depletion of vegetation and encroachment into surrounding forest lands.
The problem is especially rampant during the summer months in newly-developed parts of the city.
Lakshmi Dutta, who lives in an apartment complex on Sarjapura Road, said, that for one month, they were terrorised by a single monkey. “It would scare children, enter our apartments, create a ruckus and make a mess everywhere.”
Panicked by the sudden invasion, residents of these localities have called on the BBMP and the Forest Department to relocate the animals into forest areas. The flurry of calls has prompted the state Forest Department to allow the relocation under Section 11(1-A) of the Wildlife Protection Act, which deals with norms related to translocating, killing or injuring wild animals.
Speaking on this, Chief Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru, said, “Although there are hardly any reports of violence from the monkeys, the department has got calls from many localities. So we will allow relocation by trained professionals in the presence of department officials. The monkeys usually feed on piles of vegetable waste and garbage.”
“We are making efforts to ensure that no animal is harmed during relocation,” he added.
But animal rights activists in Bengaluru have opposed the relocation tactic. They argue that these monkeys are not harmful and relocating them will have a grave affect on them.
Wildlife activist Arun Prasad said, “Today’s problem is the result of neglect shown by authorities. Encroachment into forest lands and the unregulated chopping of trees has not been checked for years. Relocating the monkeys is akin to killing them as they are territorial and will fight with other groups over their relocated land.”
“These routes taken by the monkeys have remained the same over the years, unlike the haphazard development of our cities. It is not that monkeys come and attack people or stay in populated areas for long. Due to development, there are hardly any guava or jackfruit trees left in the city. Monkeys have nothing to feed on, so they scurry through garbage piles in residential areas,” he added.
A letter from Arun and others activists has been submitted to the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Subhash K Malkhede to prevent the relocation.
Vijay Nishanth, an eco-conservationist based in the city, said, “These areas where the problem is prevalent used to be forest land. There is no way other than to co-survive. The Forest Department should be the responsible authority as they know how to deal with the situation.”