Sugath Kulatunga

On a private members motion in the Parliament last Wednesday there was a debate on the damage done to the agricultural crops done by monkeys (Toque macaque}. There was unanimity across the party divide that crop damage by monkeys has increased very rapidly and now is in a crisis proportion. It was mentioned that the monkey population has multiplied to around 3.6million. The damage caused by animals, mainly monkeys is estimated as close to Rs 8 billion. While the government is urging the farmers to produce more food, they are destroying around 40% of the crop, mainly the coconut crop. No wonder that there is a shortage of coconuts and the prices have shot up to over Rs 100 per nut. Members pressed the government to take immediate and effective action to control animal damage menace. Both the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister for Environment explained at length the efforts made by their ministries to find a lasting solution. Minister for Environment lamented that it has been a difficult task and explained that the behavior patterns of the animal makes it a tough task. Everybody agreed that it has become a serious problem and a threat to food production and even defense of children from the marauding monkeys.

The loss to food production is estimated to be over 40%. But nobody suggested a practical solution. It was again plenty of talk and with no outcome on effective and immediate action.

It must be stressed that there is no Buddhist or environment-friendly solution to this problem. One cannot scramble an egg without breaking it. It is useful to go back a few years when this problem was not there. It started with the removal of shotguns from farmers after the JVP uprising in the late 80s. After that there was an illegal circular from a former secretary of Defense to the Police that persons over 50 years of age should not be given gun licenses. This prevented older generation of farmers who are the majority among farmers obtaining licenses. In addition, there was a strict procedure involving the approval of the local Police and the ASP of the area before the GA issuing the license. This procedure which could take a minimum of 6 days had to be gone through by a farmer to obtain the license which costs him Rs 250/ but the opportunity cost of loss of work during the period would be at least Rs 9000 at Rs 1500 per day.

The solution is to give back the shot guns to all farmers irrespective of age. If they can handle a mammootty they should be able to handle a shot gun. The objection that there is an increase of crime with the use of guns is not valid as such crimes are caused with the use of T56 weapons or 9mm pistols. At the same time legal protection of monkeys and other wild animals like wild boar, peafowl, giant squirrels should be lifted.

Another solution is to capture the male animals and sterilize them.

Besides the urgent problem of protection of food crops and self-defense culling of animal herds is a standard practice followed in many countries to sustain the health of the herd. In South Africa there is ruthless shooting of elephants to maintain the capacity of the habitat sustain the herd in the longer term. Culling of even seals and deer is done with the same objective. A selective culling of male animals could be a more acceptable solution.

Animal lovers and pseudo environmentalists would raise strident objections to culling. They seem to love animals more than human beings.

Cynics would claim that they should also be culled.