Secular Café: How to deal with "pest" monkeys

Secular Café Serious discussion of science, skepticism, evolution, pseudoscience, and the paranormal

How to deal with "pest" monkeys May 6th 2012, 06:42 In the end, they are being turned into pests as a result of human behaviour. Should the people be educated to be tolerant of them and correct the underlying problems which are caused by humans? http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17937851 Quote: As with primate groups the world over, human pressures through habitat destruction and encroachment via population growth are the biggest threats to the survival of Sri Lanka's toque macaques, Dr Dittus believes. Ever-expanding towns and cities and the rubbish they produce, as well as the conversion of forest to agricultural land growing crops bring the macaques into conflict with people. Macaques are adaptable, and many have learnt to exploit these new resources, raiding rubbish tips, gardens and houses. As a result, the government in Sri Lanka has recently classed toque macaques as pests, allowing people to "kill them at will", according to Dr Dittus. Wildlife authorities in the area are also attempting to alleviate the problem by translocating what he describes as "streetwise thug monkeys" from towns and cities into remote areas. This just passes on the problem, causing new conflicts in rural villages, where monkeys and people have historically lived in relative peace.

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