Planned temporary relocation of Lop Buri’s macaques on hold
Community leaders and members of Khao Phra subdistrict in Nakhon Nayok province on Tuesday opposed the plan to temporarily shelter a first batch of 50 monkeys from Lop Buri province, fearing that the creatures could attack locals and cause problems.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) plans to relocate some Lopburi monkeys to a “monkey garden” in the province’s Pho Khao Ton sub-district, in an attempt to control the macaque population in Lopburi, which has become increasingly aggressive while stealing food and attacking people, causing injury to several individuals.
As the construction of the monkey garden is not yet complete, the DNP proposed temporarily housing the captured monkeys at Wildlife Rescue Centre 1 in Nakhon Nayok’s Khao Phra subdistrict.
Executives of Nakhon Nayok province and DNP met on Tuesday to discuss the transport of the first batch of monkeys to the centre, which is expected to start on Wednesday. However, the move was opposed by members of Khao Phra subdistrict administrative organisation (SAO), who also attended the meeting.
SAO president Phongsawat Theerawattanakul said responsible agencies have not notified the SAO of the number of macaques to be transported, how long they will stay at the centre, and what security measures have been implemented.
“We are ready to cooperate with the officials, but we have not been told who will be responsible if monkeys escape and cause trouble,” he said.
Phongsawat added that Khao Phra subdistrict residents havd voted unanimously against the move.
Issara Sukjaemsai, chief of Nakhon Nayok’s Muang district, who chaired the meeting, promised to forward the resolution to the province, adding that the plan to transport the monkeys to Wildlife Rescue Centre 1 on Wednesday will be temporarily halted.
