New Delhi organisers hire mimics to deter monkeys at Badminton World Championships

Organisers of the Badminton World Championships in New Delhi are employing professional mimics to deter rhesus macaques from entering the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Three trained individuals will imitate the grunts and snorts of langurs—a larger species of monkey—to scare the macaques away. This strategy follows disruptions caused by monkeys during the India Open in January, which received international attention.

The use of actual langurs for such purposes has been banned since 2012. The Badminton Association of India and the Sports Authority of India have also worked to renovate the stadium to prevent similar incidents. Olympic medallist PV Sindhu endorsed the measure, describing it as ‘uniquely Indian’ and noting that it demonstrates the effort being made to ensure the event's success.

The championships are scheduled to take place from August 17-23, marking the return of the BWF World Championships to India after 17 years.