Thailand Launches Primate Birth Control

[churchill]

Thailand Launches Primate Birth Control

LOPBURI, Thailand (Reuters Life!) - Thailand is trying to limit the number of monkeys that roam freely in the town of Lopburi after residents complained the primate tourist attractions are becoming more annoying, and aggressive.

About 2,500 macaques live in close proximity to the people of Lopburi, north of Bangkok, scrambling around its famous, ancient Hindu-Buddhist shrine and Khmer-style pagodas as well as homes and the local market.

The monkeys often snatch bags away from passers-by, and even enter homes to steal food and play. Barbed wire and iron fences are a common sight on buildings to deter them.

For years, residents have tolerated the animals, but the monkey population is growing rapidly and intensifying the battle with humans for food and living space.

Veterinarians, who are sterilizing male monkeys, say this will benefit the macaques, not just the people.

"There is not enough food or homes for monkeys," said veterinarian Juthamas Sumanam. "If their numbers increase, people will be in trouble as well as the monkeys."

Every day, a team of vets marches into alleyways, armed with candy bags to tempt the monkeys, who are then captured and operated on.

At least half of the 1,500 male macaques are expected to be sterilized as part of the program. Male monkeys can mate 10 times a day and females can give birth twice a year.

The sterilization procedure takes around half an hour. The monkeys are released back into their concrete jungle the next day, after they have recovered.

Last year, the primates gave birth to 500 babies. Veterinarians are aiming for a maximum of 300 from now on.

But while the monkeys can often be an annoyance, not everyone in Lopburi, which thousands of visitors a year come to partly to see the animals, agrees with the program.

"The main attraction in Lopburi is monkeys. The tourists only come here to see monkeys. Only a few of them come here to see the ancient shrine," said temple worker Saksit Saepoo.

Macaques can live up to 35 years.

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMo...E57K0TO20090821

-- Reuters 21/08/09

[dale8]

Hello, the government people need to do something before the monkeys become violent and attack children. They need to fear people more, or they will go inside more houses. It is good the government does not hurt the monkeys too much, but the male monkeys will hesitate when the see candy again.

[peter991]

I went to Monkey Island, one of the islands off the Thailand coast a few months ago as I like monkeys. Unfortunately, it was monkey breeding season (according to the boat owner) and the monkeys did not come down to the beach to receive my offerings of peanuts and bananas.

I was disappointed and asked for my money back from the boat owner. He asked me if I could be tempted with bananas and peanuts if I got lucky and found a horny mate ...

Point taken : I didn't need a refund as I couldn't argue with that logic.

Peter

[slapout]

If the little buggers can get it on 10 times a day and of the 1500 males they are going to cut 750, that leaves 750 with less competition. If 1500 only produced 500 babies, goal being 300, how many females are there? Having never ventured into raising monkeys nor having a desire to do so, but on a farm if you want to control the population of livestock, you control the female count/fertility.

[Lancelot]

Good program. Can it please be extended to the soi dog population?

[shiatsuman]

If the little buggers can get it on 10 times a day and of the 1500 males they are going to cut 750, that leaves 750 with less competition. If 1500 only produced 500 babies, goal being 300, how many females are there? Having never ventured into raising monkeys nor having a desire to do so, but on a farm if you want to control the population of livestock, you control the female count/fertility.

Absolutely right, as monkeys are highly promiscuous this measure will make no diffence to the population, younger females should be the target group for sterilisation, in any long term population controll programme. Alternatively marketing tasty monkey meat dishes as a special delicacy from Lopuri could be a more enterprising way round the problem.

In Prachuap Kirikahn I marginally preferd the monkeys (smelly destructive can be agressive) to the packs of Soi Dogs (rabid)

[h90]

I went to Monkey Island, one of the islands off the Thailand coast a few months ago as I like monkeys. Unfortunately, it was monkey breeding season (according to the boat owner) and the monkeys did not come down to the beach to receive my offerings of peanuts and bananas.

I was disappointed and asked for my money back from the boat owner. He asked me if I could be tempted with bananas and peanuts if I got lucky and found a horny mate ...

Point taken : I didn't need a refund as I couldn't argue with that logic.

Peter

The point which would make the boat owners argument invalid would be that you sitting on the boat to look the monkeys instead of sitting in a bar in Pattaya

[astral]

..... but the male monkeys will hesitate when the see candy again.

They will be completely tame afterwards, if my cat is anything to go by.......