Human-monkey interactions have reached crisis proportions in Sri Lanka over the last 10 years due to extensive deforestation.\u00a0 Amidst complaints from the public to find an immediate solution to the problem, Cabral et al. try to look at the negative interaction as a whole to develop a strategic plan to minimize negative interactions and promote harmonious coexistence through attitudinal change in people.<\/p>\n
Extensive deforestation in Sri Lanka over the past 10 years has led to an increase in human-monkey interactions.\u00a0 Since monkeys are involved in many types of conflicts, cause financial loss, and instill fear \u2014 both psychological and of health hazards, human attitudes towards them can be expected to be extremely intolerant.\u00a0 Since the three species of monkeys recognized to be involved in interactions with humans \u2014 the Purple-faced\u00a0Langur\u00a0Semnopithecus<\/em>\u00a0vetulus,<\/em>\u00a0the Tufted Grey\u00a0Langur\u00a0S.\u00a0priam thersites<\/em>, and Toque Macaque\u00a0Macaca\u00a0sinica<\/em> \u2014 are endangered and endemic to Sri Lanka, people\u2019s attitudes towards them is of utmost significance for their long-term conservation.\u00a0 This study reviewed the letters of complaints from the public to authorities concerned to extract information on human-monkey interactions and people\u2019s attitudes towards the problem.<\/p>\n Damage to crops and property were the most frequent categories of conflict.\u00a0 The most number of complaints were reported from the densely populated Colombo District and were mainly against the Critically Endangered Purple-faced\u00a0Langur\u00a0subspecies\u00a0S. v.\u00a0nestor<\/em>, which has an extremely fragmented and sparse distribution.\u00a0 Toque Macaque was responsible for complaints from the highest number of people and districts \u2014 probably because of its wider distribution in the island.\u00a0 This forest-dwelling omnivore has readily adapted to eating food discarded with garbage in urban areas and tourist sites.\u00a0 M. s.\u00a0opisthomelas<\/em>,\u00a0the Toque Macaque highland subspecies with a very restricted distribution in\u00a0montane habitats, was considered a pest in some areas.<\/p>\n As monkeys fed by people typically display aggressive behaviour, strict regulations need to be enforced against feeding animals; this, however, may be extremely difficult to implement in Sri Lanka where animals are given food to gain merit.\u00a0 Proper waste management systems should be implemented to prevent monkeys from having access to garbage.\u00a0 Guarding crops and installing barriers to prevent monkeys from entering houses may be successful in minimizing damage caused by the animals.<\/p>\n Translocation of problem animals is only a temporary solution \u2014 neighbouring monkey groups will quickly take over the vacated home range and the conflict will recur.\u00a0 Preventive strategies to control monkey population require a huge financial investment and are difficult to implement on large populations.\u00a0 If the capture of problem monkeys is essential, it must be carried out under strict guidelines by the authorities concerned on scientific and conservation bases, and the captured animals should be relocated into shelters after sterilising all individuals.\u00a0 A series of field surveys have been initiated to identify community conservation areas, sites suitable for long-term protection of monkeys and other wildlife and managed by local stakeholders on a sustainable basis under the supervision of authorities concerned.<\/p>\n \u25ba People must be made aware of the risks and consequences of provisioning food and of improper waste disposal.<\/p>\n \u25ba Additional efforts need to be put in for the conservation of Toque Macaque as it is listed as a species of Least Concern and is unprotected under the island\u2019s ordinance.<\/p>\nUnderstanding the interaction as a whole<\/h2>\n
Minimizing negative interactions and promoting peaceful co-existence<\/h2>\n
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