Thiruvananthapuram: With an alarming increase in crop destruction caused by native monkeys, Kerala’s farmers are sounding the alarm. From tearing down coconuts to wreaking havoc on agricultural produce, the monkey menace is escalating across several rural regions. In response, the State Forest Department is drafting plans to implement sterilization of native monkey populations in human settlements as a humane solution to curb their growing numbers.
Chief Wildlife Warden Pramod G. Krishnan stated that sterilization is being considered as a key measure to mitigate human-monkey conflicts. “We received this idea from local communities during consultations. The objective is to carry out sterilization in hotspots where monkey-related damages are reported most,” he said. The department is currently preparing a proposal seeking approval from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to initiate the sterilization campaign.
Unlike wild boars, which can legally be culled due to the scale of their nuisance, monkeys fall under protected categories. The bonnet macaques, a common species behind the agricultural damage, are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as near-threatened, thereby ruling out any lethal measures against them. Hence, sterilization is being seen as an ethical and sustainable alternative.
The department also plans to set up temporary rehabilitation shelters to house sterilized monkeys until they recover. Meanwhile, it is looking to curb human-driven causes of monkey congregation—especially the dumping of food waste by tourists in eco-tourism centers. “Strict measures will be enforced to stop tourists from littering food, which attracts monkeys and disrupts their natural foraging habits,” Krishnan added.
In tandem with the sterilization plan, the Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI) has launched a state-wide mapping project to document monkey presence. Panchayat and municipal members have been roped in to report sightings, and a database is being compiled to identify concentration zones or ‘hotspots’ of monkey activity.
Interestingly, while Kerala has seen a surge in monkey populations, other states have experienced sharp declines. Experts cite deforestation, habitat loss, and hunting as key reasons behind the species' decline in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, and Gujarat.
The forest department’s dual-pronged strategy population control through sterilization and ecological management through waste regulation aims to balance conservation with the need to protect rural livelihoods. The initiative, once approved, will be one of the most extensive sterilization efforts undertaken to tackle primate conflict in the state.