K K Sharma
Over the past few decades there has been a steady and steep increase in the population of Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) commonly known as monkey. The population of monkeys has grown at an alarming rate during the last decade. According to the last count there were 50 million monkeys in India which has resulted in their migration from the forest areas towards towns and cities and also to the cultivated areas. There is no centralised data bank on monkey raids in the country. According to the official and media reports, 20 States/UTs have reported significant crop damages due to monkey attacks. In 2018, about 250 villages in Jammu reported loss of farm produce worth Rs. 33 crore because of invasion by wild monkeys.
Crops damaged by the Monkeys are a matter of grave concern. Monkeys like a wide range of food, including roots, shoots, leaves, fruits even grasses. The large tracts/chunk of agriculture land has been left barren due to huge armies of defiant monkeys. Gross cropped area of Jammu Division is 7.48 lakh ha, out of which 0.335 lakh ha area is affected due to monkey menace, affecting 81298 farming families covering 1590 villages with economic loss ranging from 15 to 40 % thus forcing the farmers to abandon the agriculture activities and seek migration to cities and other areas to eke out their livelihood due to their adversely affected agrarian economy. Monkeys also cause substantial losses to the fruit crops like mango, guava, grapes, citrus fruits, litchi, pear, peach, plum, apricot etc. in large area of the UT resulting in a great loss to the orchardists. It is observed that the incident rate is more during early morning and evening.Moreover, migration of monkeys resulted in decline of the seed dispersal of wildplants of the forest area which can endanger some forest plant species. Due to religious sentiments monkeys can also not be killed.
Monkey species in Jammu
Rhesus macaque/Macaca malatta (Pest)
Grey langur or Hanuman langur Semnopithecus sp. (Predator)
Man animal conflict in Siwalik foothills:
* Absence of prey, destruction of natural habitats and change in feeding habits.
* Destruction of wild fruit tree plantations / deforestation/ Scarcity of food in forests.
* Intensive Agriculture /Increased urbanisation /Climate change.
* Feeding monkeys with gram, bread and fruit as a religious activity.
* Inefficient garbage and waste management system has provided them ample food in the form of leftovers.
Suggestive Measures: The problem of monkeys menace is of a complex nature and needs a co-ordinated effort by the Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Forest Departments, Wildlife Protection Department & SKUAST-Jammu to work out urgent short term measures to provide immediate relief and also needs a framework for long term and lasting solution. To strike a balance, Ecological Solution is the only answer. Integrated Farming System (IFS) approach under which the following activities are required to be adopted.
* Cultivation of crops not damaged by monkeys are root crops viz. Ginger, Turmeric, Colocasia, Alocasia, Yam (Zimikand), marigold, lime, lemon, Bael, lemon grass and Lavender etc.
* Promotion of dairy farming on large scale, which requires area expansion/diversification under fodder cultivation, creation of fodder banks (green/dry) and grass mandis at grass root level.
* Promotion of fodder cultivation along with suitable cropping systems.
* On farm evaluation of fodder technologies for combating monkey menace.
* Inclusion of Agroforestry in the IFS for fruit, fodder, fuel and Timber.
* On farm evaluation of fodder technologies is the need of the hour for combating monkey menace.
Intervention
Indigenous Traditional Knowledge
(ITK) / methods
* In most of the farmland areas, farmers guard their fields with sticks and use trained dogs to scare away the monkeys from their fields. To protect the crops, farmers deploy labours to protect the crops. Cost of labour is very high due to shortage of labour in the State and labour from Nepal, UP& Bihar are routinely hired for this purpose. Deployment of labour to guard field crops from monkey menace do not always guarantee 100% protection of crops due to human limitations of functioning in difficult terrain and adverse weather and night hours. Farmers also use crackers, gun fires for scaring away the monkeys/ wild animals.
* Whip rope sound/Shrill Noise: Monkeys hate shrill noise. Collect nearly 100 such sound clips like Lion, Tiger, Langur from internet, edit them and transfer to a pen drive and play these predator animal sounds with an audio device that runs on a mobile battery by fixing the device on any tree / hardy plant / pole and play for 6 hours / day where monkey menace is at its peak. Keep changing the files so that monkeys should not get use of it (practiced in Punjab).Farmers in rural areas of Jammu use a three band tapering rope (Tratta) for creating gun fire like cracking sound for scaring wild animals and birds.
* Reflective ribbons: In Varanasi fences are being made with reels of audiotape that are wrapped round the bamboo stands. Reflective ribbons are also used as repellant.
* Using dry fish as repellant: Some farmers hang dry fish on the branches / keep sealed small packets with boneless dry fish pieces around the field.On opening the packets, monkeys rub the hands to get rid of smell till it bleeds. They never enter the same field with their team.
Monkey Trap: The trap ¡§consists of a hollowed-out coconut, chained to a stake. The coconut has some rice/banana inside which can be grabbed through a small hole¡¨. The monkey¡¦s hand fits through the hole, but his clenched fist can¡¦t fit back out. The monkey is suddenly trapped. A terrified monkey along with his team avoids coming to the area again.
Promotion of Sustainable and long
term interventions
* Crop diversification: Cultivation of crops not liked by monkeys should be promoted in the affected areas:
a) Root crops such as Ginger, Turmeric, Colocasia, Alocasia, Yam (Zimikand) b) Horticulture crops such as marigold, lime, lemon, aonla, karonda, bael, anardana etc. c) Medicinal & Aromatic plants such as Sarpgandha, Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Kalmegh, Shatavari, Tulsi, Aloe vera, Artimisia, lemongrass, lavender and citronella, geranium etc.
* Integrated Farming System (IFS): Promotion of dairy farming on large scale should be promoted for which creation of fodder banks (green/dry) and grass mandis at local level have to be established. Bee keeping and mushroom growing may also be adopted as an alternative source of income.
* Solar Fencing: While number of alternative methods is practiced by farmers and Government to protect the crops from damage by monkeys and wild animals, none of these assure 100% success in crop protection. A new technique of power fencing is seen as ultimate solution. The solar powered fence electrifies the fence with pulsating current and these pulses are the ¡§shock¡¨ felt by an animal that touches an electrified fence. Unlike a conventional fence, an electric fence is a psychological barrier such that animals learn to respect the fence. Any periphery can be solar fenced, though the cost differs with respect to the area to be fenced. The fence is like barbed wire fencing with multiple strands of plain wires and metal/cement/ wooden posts to hold the strand in position. The wires carry high voltage current. The Solar Power fence gives a sharp, short but a non-lethal shock to the intruder and creates psychological fear, against any tampering. The alarm incorporated in the system gets activated and alert the inmates of the protected area.
These are tailor made fences and can be designed according to need and site condition. The average cost per running meter of rows fence comes to Rs.396/Meter (approx).
* Use of Plastic fences: Polypropylene fences/Fish nets (Nets) are generally less expensive and easier to install and repair than other types. Additionally, these fences are widely acceptable and meet various regulations.
* Use of concertina wire: Mesh of metal strips with sharp edges whose purpose is to prevent passage by humans can be used. The term “razor wire”, through long usage, has generally been used to describe barbed tape products. This wire can be used to protect kitchen gardens & high value Horticultural Plants in the highly affected areas.
* Monkey scare gun: It is a potential device to protect agricultural crops from monkeys.The cannon fires with a loud sound due to combustion of gas.Through the sound produced by the use of calcium carbide (available in welding shops), 2-3 acres are covered. It is easy and safe to use when compared with PVC Cannon. The device is harmless for humans and Monkeys.If used properly, the device would last for 10 Years.
* Modern Monkey Traps: Modern monkey traps are cost effective and can be used to catch the monkey and shift them to their natural habitat.
Policy Decisions Required:
* Sterilization/ Castration: Cruel and barbaric control methods like killing are inexcusable. Sterilization can be a better option. For sterilization/castration of monkeys, creation of proper infrastructure and man-power are needed. Amazing work carried out by the wildlife wing of the ¡§Himachal Pradesh Forest Department¡¨ had a major impact on the control of monkeys throughout India and can be adopted. A female monkey is sterilized in just one and a half minutes and that a male vasectomy takes about the same time. It is easily possible for one small team to efficiently sterilize at least 60 monkeys in a day. Himachal Pradesh has sterilised at least 1.4 million monkeys since 2006 to 2018. As a result of the constant efforts put in by the forest department of HP, now the numbers of Rhesus macaques have started dwindling.
* Wildlife (Protection Act 1972): Under part I schedule II of Jammu & Kashmir Wildlife Protection Act monkey (Rhesus macaque) is a protected wild animal and can¡¦t be killed. Further, Wild life department has issued notice viz-a-viz that any feeding, luring, baiting to monkeys is an offence under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act and punishable accordingly. This will lead to seizing, confiscating food articles, vehicles as well as fine and imprisonment. The provision of this Act should be implemented in letter and sprit so that the man animal conflict can be checked.
* Amendments in the Wildlife (Protection Act 1972): Keeping in view the above facts, significance of loses of agriculture crops and to public lifein general some appropriate amendments in the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 are required for curbing the menace of monkeys. Rhesus macaque (Macaca Mulatta) figure in Schedule II Part-1 17-A of the Act can be declared Vermin in view of Section 2(34), 61 & 62 of the Act.
* Inter-departmental Co-ordination: Combinations of strategies are needed to control the monkey menace in the state. To eke out the livelihood of the farmers, the departments (i.e., Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Wildlife & Forest and SKUAST-Jammu) need to work collectively for the effective and timely solution of this serious problem/critical issue. For that a team of taskforce should be formed with one officer from each department to frame the strategy and execution for better results.
(The author is Agriculture Economist Department of
Agriculture Production & FW Jammu)
(Inputs from Dolly John and Muneeb Andrabi)
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