Culling of monkeys likely from April 15

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 2

The Forest Department is yet to come up with a protocol for ensuring the ethical killing of monkeys even though the decks for their scientific culling have been cleared. The process is expected to begin by April 15.

It was on March 29 last month that the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had declared the monkeys within the Shimla municipal limits vermin. However, the killing of moneys cannot begin immediately as the issue is still pending in the High Court.

“We have already apprised the court of the permission being granted by the Centre for the killing of the monkeys. The matter is expected to come up for hearing on April 13 and we are hopeful of getting a go-ahead,” SS Negi, Principal Chief Conservator Forest (Wildlife), said.

Negi said: “If the simians have been declared vermin, there is no need to take permission from the wildlife wing of the Forest Department. It is only after a monkey is killed that the department will have to be intimated so that the carcass is disposed of properly,” said Negi.

Barring the disposal of carcasses, the department would not be involved in the killing and anyone was free to do it, he said.

Rhesus Macaque monkeys listed under Schedule II of the Wildlife (Protection) Act-1972 have now been placed in Schedule V of the Act for six months. The state government had moved its case before the Centre in September last year, citing the massive damage to crops and attacks on people by the monkeys.

The Wildlife Department has also moved the case for declaring monkeys vermin in 39 tehsils of the state. The selection of the tehsils as hotspots is based on their high concentration, population and the damage being caused by them. “We are hopeful that the monkeys will be declared vermin in these endemic areas within a month’s time and the people will get relief from the damage being caused to their crops and fruits,” he said.

The results of the latest monkey census undertaken in July 2015 had indicated that there were about 2,452 monkeys within the Shimla municipal limits, which is higher than their number reflected in the last census undertaken in 2013. The eight forest beats of Jakhu, Summer Hill, Glen, Kaithu, Khalini, Fagli, Tutikandi and Bharari had been identified as endemic areas.

The total number of monkeys in the latest census undertaken last year stands at 2,07,614 as compared to 2,26,086 in the 2013 census. Their number was highest at 3.17,512 in the 2004 census. So far, a total of 1,04 lakh monkeys have been sterilised at seven centres in the state.