Not just Bengaluru residents, its monkeys, too, are looking for water. As summer temperatures soar and water scarcity worsens, the animals are seeking refuge, shelter and sustenance from people’s homes and high-rise apartments.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the city’s civic body, has been receiving recurring complaints from residents about monkeys entering their homes in search of food and water, snatching meals from adults and children, and even resorting to attacks.
THE REASONS
Senior officials from the Karnataka Forest Department and BBMP shed light on the root cause and strategies to address it.
Ravindra Kumar N, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Urban, said the basic issue is the city, which once boasted of numerous trees and orchards, has witnessed their systematic removal to pave the way for a concrete jungle of high-rise apartments. “This is a classic man-animal conflict situation, akin to what we see with leopards and elephants," said Ravindra.
“We have taken away the habitat of the monkeys to build such apartments and expect them to go elsewhere. They are accustomed to the trees, fruits and vegetables available around and come to consume it. We have deprived them of their natural habitat, compelling them to forcibly enter homes as they are hungry," the senior official explained.
Ravindra pointed out that monkeys, much like dogs, cats and horses, are loyal animals. Even if captured and left in the forest, they tend to return where they found food or people caring for them. He emphasised that monkeys can be quite ferocious, capable of delivering a serious bite requiring immediate medical attention. They scale heights like the 15th floor, akin to how they navigate trees, he added.
BBMP HELPLINE
When the forest department receives such complaints, it refers it to the BBMP for action and solutions. A dedicated forest official is attached to the BBMP to help resolve the issue. The areas that the BBMP often receives complaints from are Indiranagar, Rajajinagar, Rajarajeshwarinagar, Bommanahalli, which were once on the outskirts, but have become part of Bengaluru city over the years.
In 2022, the Karnataka High Court had issued a directive to the BBMP, urging it to find options to control the monkey menace. A helpline number, 1526, was set up to help address the issue.
WHAT SHOULD RESIDENTS DO?
BLG Swamy, Deputy Conservator of Forests at BBMP, said the civic body receives three to four complaints on the helpline every week.
Swamy explained that this department receives complaints from residents, including instances of monkeys entering homes and causing trouble. People are found feeding monkeys and giving them water from their homes, but this is done irregularly and unscientifically, the official pointed out.
“If they find an allotted space and keep food for the monkeys, maybe that’s fine. However, people are keeping food and water on their windowsills or in their balconies. The family of monkeys waits for food, and if people don’t do it regularly, the hunger for food forces them to enter homes and even attack residents," he explained.
What can be done? According to Swamy, the monkey menace can be handled at the apartment level itself or by taking proactive measures.
“With their security personnel, they can handle the situation. We come into the picture when the monkey menace is uncontrollable and the animal needs to be captured as it has turned violent. We have observed a trend where a certain group of monkeys shifts from one complex to another. By not feeding them, they tend to go elsewhere. In some places, we have caught the alpha male and rehabilitated it. That way, too, the issue is being resolved."
The BBMP has an animal rescue team that takes up cases of monkeys entering apartments or gathering in groups and causing harm. “If you capture one or the alpha male of the group, the other monkeys tend to run away, fearing they would be caught like their companion," Swamy said.
THE SOLUTIONS
Setting up of solar-powered fences around the compound, which deters animals by sending out mild shocks, can be considered. This is safe for monkeys and cost-effective for apartment complexes as well. Identifying the entry points of these groups of monkeys and fencing the area is crucial.
Other measures include setting up of grills or nets that residents may choose to put up.
Another effective solution is putting up stuffed ferocious-looking animal stuff toys such as bulldogs or tigers. The monkeys tend to get scared, and after a couple of days, they are seen to leave the place. These should be strategically placed in the complex, including the entry and exit points the animals use, according to forest officials.
“People have to be vigilant and alert. If the monkeys have turned wild, they have to inform us, and we will come and rescue them," Swamy said.
DCF Ravindra speaks of how a similar issue was seen in the national capital. The area near our Parliament also faced a similar issue of monkeys hanging around in hordes. “The authorities have employed a Hanuman langur and a caretaker who walks around the premises of Parliament. These monkeys are scared of this particular species of Langurs and run away," Ravindra said.
“I have suggested that we can use a similar system where a coloured life-size cardboard cutout of a langur can be placed at specific areas where the monkeys gather. This can be even kept at the entry or exit points that the monkeys use, to scare them away," Ravindra said.
The monkey species found in Bengaluru is Bonnet Macaque, and in Delhi region is Rhesus Macaque. Both react similarly to langurs, claim forest officials.
RESIDENTS RECALL ENCOUNTER
Unable to cope with the issue, a section of resident associations has issued notices, asking people not to feed monkeys which attract them towards the area. They have taken one step ahead and warned of a fine of up to Rs 500 if anybody is found keeping food outside for the animal.
Prakruthi Prasad, who lives in Domlur area of East Bengaluru, was among the people who raised a complaint on the BBMP helpline.
“Three monkeys came in, entered through the kitchen window and made a mess of the area. We have a sliding mesh door. The animal pulled it aside and entered. These monkeys are intelligent and know their way around. They even know what to eat and what to reject," she said.
Prasad lives in a four-floor complex close to a public park. She speaks of how people are upset if any action is taken on these monkeys, as they say it is “an avatar of Lord Hanuman". “We all believe in Lord Hanuman, but God does not cause hurt to people. We are only asking for some measures to keep them from attacking us," she said.
Another resident from North Bengaluru’s Horamavu, Sameera Shukoor, had a nerve-wracking experience when she found a group of monkeys inside her 11th-floor home. They squeezed themselves in through a four-inch grill which was not shut properly and attacked fresh fruits and dry fruits in the house.
“When I got home after picking my four-year-old from school, I found one of the monkeys staring at the mirror and baring its teeth. Another monkey was on the kitchen counter eating grapes. In fear, I took my child and ran out of the house. I waited for a while and then entered to find them squeezing themselves out of the house through the same grille."
“It has happened twice in a span of one week. They were a bunch of grapes around the house. They broke open bottles in my kitchen which had masalas and dry fruits. They are aggressive as well. Another time, they came to the window where my in-laws were sitting and refused to move and kept grunting. We had to use a stick to drive them away," she said.
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