Kruger Park considers killing problem monkeys

Problem monkeys who continue to disturb tourists in the Kruger National Park risk being killed.

Park authorities confirmed that scientific studies were being carried out on how best to resolve monkey attacks on humans, with the euthanasia of aggressive animals being touted as the best solution.

“There are normally only one or two problem animals in a group, so we are investigating the possibility of capturing these monkeys in cages and euthanising them,” said Kruger media specialist Isaac Phaahla this week.

In the most recent incident, a German tourist was bitten by a vervet monkey at the Tshokwane Picnic Site between the Skukuza and Satara camps in the Kruger at the end of January.

Kruger visitor Jan van Es witnessed the January monkey attack.

“While I was there, the tourist was bitten by a monkey on his waist and was bleeding quite badly. The tour guide told me that this was the second time in a few weeks that one of her guests had been bitten,” said Van Es.

Phaahla confirmed the incident and said that monkeys were a huge problem in public areas throughout the park, stealing food from tables and out of tourists’ hands.

“It is an ongoing problem and stems from the fact that people feed the monkeys, even though the Kruger makes it very clear that feeding of animals is prohibited. The monkeys become accustomed to getting food and when they don’t they become aggressive. The most important thing however is to stop getting the public to feed these animals,” said Phaahla this week.

However, Rosaline Grobler, owner of Monkey Town Primate Center in Cape Town, said that the problem was so entrenched that euthanasia would probably not solve it.

“I do not believe in euthanasia, particular considering that this is the human’s fault, not the animal’s. If visitors continue feeding them then future generations of monkeys will pick up the same behaviour,” said Grobler. “To be honest, I cannot really see a fool-proof solution to this.” - African Eye News Service