Assam to conduct monkey census for pilot sterilization drive

The Assam State forest department is preparing to conduct a statewide census of the monkey population to address increasing human-monkey conflicts. This census will serve as the foundation for a proposed pilot sterilization programme in identified hotspots.

To develop this initiative, a state delegation studied the monkey sterilization programme in Himachal Pradesh. That programme, launched in 2006, has sterilized over 1.86 lakh monkeys and is credited with reducing the macaque population from 3.17 lakh in 2004 to 1.36 lakh in 2020, while reducing conflicts in several areas.

In Assam, macaques have caused significant disruption in both rural and urban settings. In rural areas, monkeys raid crops such as paddy, vegetables, and fruit, sometimes forcing farmers to abandon cultivation. In urban areas, they damage homes, shops, gardens, and communication lines, while occasionally attacking people and pets.