Dangerous 'gang' monkeys - 13th July 2020

Groups of fighting macaque monkeys are taking over the streets of Lopburi in Thailand.

The monkeys normally attract thousands of tourists to the ancient city, bringing in money for the local community. For this reason, the locals put up with the animals’ lively behaviour. However, recently there haven’t been any visitors to feed the monkeys because of the Coronavirus. So they are hungry and attacking people for food.

Local people are scared and some give the monkeys junk food to avoid being hurt. Others believe this is making the problem worse as they think the poor diet gives the monkeys more energy so they breed faster than before.

The groups of macaques are racing around the city through the streets and along the walls. They are destroying cars and guarding Prang Sam Yod temple. They are even keeping their dead in an abandoned cinema, which is creating a terrible smell.

The growing population of monkeys is becoming a serious problem. It is making some areas of the city too dangerous for people to walk through.

To try and control the numbers, monkeys are being caught in traps. Then, vets are carrying out operations to stop the monkeys breeding. The aim is to create a reserve for them, so they are kept separate from people. However, some people don’t want the monkeys in the city at all.