Crab-eating macaques returned to wild

BANGKOK, September 21 (TNA) -- National park authorities released 80 crab-eating macaques caught in Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian district back into the wild. Authorities from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) inspected the Bang Kradi Community of Samae Dam subdistrict, Bang Khun Thian district of Bangkok, after receiving complaints that a group of crab-eating macaques have been causing local residents hardships for the past few decades. The authorities arrived in the affected area with a 2X2-metre cage, that was 20 metres long. They left the cage in the middle of the community and leave fruits for the monkeys every morning since September 5 before deciding to trap the monkeys in the cage earlier today. DNP Director Niphon Chotiban said this is the first catch of the macaques by his department. Prior to the process, the DNP director informed that talks has been held with local villagers on solutions to the problem, as over 400 crab-eating macaques have been creating their habitat in Bang Khun Thian for the past few decades. The villagers of Bang Kradi have been the most affected by the monkeys, as around 150 of them are living in the area alone. The director further noted that DNP were able to catch 80 monkeys today, all of which would be delivered to the Phan Thai Norasing Non Hunting Area in Samut Sakorn province for health examinations and size determination. The monkeys would then be separated into two groups, where one group would be moved to the Khao Son Wildlife Breeding Centre in Ratchaburi province, while the other group would be delivered to the Kon Khun Kala island in Bang Khun Thian district. (TNA)