Kathmandu, Feb 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Nepali government has formally declared the wild red monkey (Macaca mulatta) an agriculture-damaging wild animal, allowing farmers to chase away or capture the animals without prior approval from authorities.
By publishing a notice in the Nepal Gazette on Thursday, the Ministry of Forests and Environment said the declaration will remain valid for one year.
Shrinking cultivation and expanding forest cover around abandoned land have unintentionally increased monkey habitats, leading to intensified human-wildlife conflict.
Rampant raids by monkeys on private farmland, causing massive crop damage, have forced many farmers to abandon cultivation.
Growing incidents of human-wildlife conflict are being reported across the country, where wildlife conservation successes have sometimes increased pressure on farming communities in the absence of adequate mitigation measures.
"According to the notice, if wild red monkeys enter farmers' fields and cause damage to crops or to life and property, farmers may individually or collectively drive them away or capture them. However, the rule does not apply within national parks, wildlife reserves, hunting reserves, conservation areas, or national forest areas," the Ministry added.
If a red monkey is captured, it must be handed over to the concerned national park office, wildlife reserve office, hunting reserve or conservation area office, division forest office, or the nearest subordinate office.
"If a monkey is killed during efforts to drive it away, it may be buried in the presence of at least one representative of the concerned local government and five local witnesses," according to the notice.
"Information about the incident must be provided to the national park or forest office, as well as to the local ward office," it said.
If red monkeys are killed, the concerned offices must submit detailed reports to the Ministry every two months.
In the eastern district of Dhankuta, some candidates for the upcoming House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5 have also made the monkey menace a campaign issue.
They have once again promised fencing, compensation schemes, and stronger wildlife management policies as part of their election agenda.
Source: IANS
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