Lopburi Municipality captures 150 monkeys in new operation

Lopburi Municipality captured over 150 monkeys in the first two days of a new operation aimed at controlling the monkey population in the city. The goal is to capture at least 500 monkeys within 10 days, with support from 12 military personnel from the 13th Military Circle.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), in collaboration with the Lopburi Municipality, initiated the operation after completing the construction of additional cages. The operation focuses on controlling the monkey population in the old town area, which is a bustling economic zone.

Military personnel from the 13th Military Circle are assisting with various tasks at the Lopburi Municipality Animal Care Centre in Pho Khao Ton, Mueang district, Lopburi province. The operation is expected to last for 10 days, as outlined by the DNP and Lopburi Municipality.

Four locations have been identified for setting up monkey traps: behind the Chaiyawanich building, behind the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) building, in front of the old Department of Public Health and Environment building near Manora shopping centre, and at the old residence of the municipal waterworks office.

Since the operation began, over 150 monkeys have been captured at these four locations, and efforts are ongoing to reach the target of at least 500 monkeys within 10 days.

At the Lopburi Municipality Animal Care Centre, officials from the DNP and soldiers from the 13th Military Circle have been working diligently to separate the captured monkeys into different groups. These monkeys are then handed over to the veterinary team of the DNP for further procedures.

“Some of the captured monkeys include nearly 10 mother monkeys with newborns that are still nursing. These will be taken care of separately by the DNP and won’t be placed in the municipal monkey cages.”

Relocation

Other captured monkeys are sedated for health checks, blood sample collection, sterilisation, tattooing, and photographing for record-keeping before being issued new identification cards. They are then quarantined overnight before being moved to the monkey cages at the Lopburi Municipality Animal Care Centre or the nearby monkey park the following day.

This new monkey-trapping operation follows the completion of additional cages at the Lopburi Municipality Animal Care Centre, which can now accommodate up to 500 more monkeys.

The effort is part of a population control plan aimed at maintaining a balanced number of monkeys suitable for the area, thereby alleviating the inconvenience faced by residents, students at Phibun Witthayalai School, and tourists around Phra Prang Sam Yot, reported KhaoSod.