No monkey business

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http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE57K0TO20090821

No monkey business: Thailand launches primate birth control Fri Aug 21, 2009

3:21am EDT

 

By Noppawan

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LOPBURI, Thailand (Reuters Life!) - Thailand is trying to limit the number

of monkeys that roam freely in the town of Lopburi after residents

complained the primate tourist attractions are becoming more annoying, and

aggressive.

 

About 2,500 macaques live in close proximity to the people of Lopburi, north

of Bangkok, scrambling around its famous, ancient Hindu-Buddhist shrine and

Khmer-style pagodas as well as homes and the local market.

 

The monkeys often snatch bags away from passers-by, and even enter homes to

steal food and play. Barbed wire and iron fences are a common sight on

buildings to deter them.

 

For years, residents have tolerated the animals, but the monkey population

is growing rapidly and intensifying the battle with humans for food and

living space.

 

Veterinarians, who are sterilizing male monkeys, say this will benefit the

macaques, not just the people.

 

" There is not enough food or homes for monkeys, " said veterinarian Juthamas

Sumanam. " If their numbers increase, people will be in trouble as well as

the monkeys. "

 

Every day, a team of vets marches into alleyways, armed with candy bags to

tempt the monkeys, who are then captured and operated on.

 

At least half of the 1,500 male macaques are expected to be sterilized as

part of the program. Male monkeys can mate 10 times a day and females can

give birth twice a year.

 

The sterilization procedure takes around half an hour. The monkeys are

released back into their concrete jungle the next day, after they have

recovered.

 

Last year, the primates gave birth to 500 babies. Veterinarians are aiming

for a maximum of 300 from now on.

 

But while the monkeys can often be an annoyance, not everyone in Lopburi,

which thousands of visitors a year come to partly to see the animals, agrees

with the program.

 

" The main attraction in Lopburi is monkeys. The tourists only come here to

see monkeys. Only a few of them come here to see the ancient shrine, " said

temple worker Saksit Saepoo.

 

Macaques can live up to 35 years.

 

(Editing by Miral Fahmy)

 

 

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" Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man

will not himself find peace. " -Albert Schweitzer