Thousands of monkeys run wild in Banyumas

Thousands of monkeys run wild in Banyumas

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Banyumas, Central Java

Villagers in Wangon subdistrict, Banyumas regency, Central Java,
are facing food shortages and crop failures as thousands of
hungry monkeys have been raiding their crops and fruit trees in
search of food.

The primates, apparently forced to leave their mountain
habitat where the forest has been burned amid the dry season,
descended upon the village of Cikakak to find secondary crops,
palm sugar sap and fruits.

With dozens of hectares of food crops being ravaged by the
starving monkeys, local residents are the ones now threatened
with hunger. "As no more leaves and fruits are left in their
habitat, they have come to attack our crops," said a local farmer
on Monday.

The farmer said that village settlements and plantations were
also the target of the primates, as they sought fresh water to
drink and to wash themselves.

The rampage has caused considerable material losses to the
Cikakak farmers.

"However, we don't dare hurt the monkeys because they number
in the thousands. We are afraid that they could get fiercer and
more violent," said Sastro, 34, another villager.

He told The Jakarta Post that besides eating bananas, corn,
cassava and other crops, the monkeys also removed hundreds of
palm sugar sap containers tied to the trunks of coconut trees.

To prevent further destruction, the local farmers have had to
heighten the guard around crops that are ready to be harvested.

"We have to patrol our plantations around the clock," another
villager said.

Gathering near a cemetery in the village, the monkeys would
approach anybody walking past and would only leave after the
passersby toss them some food.

Such monkey infestations are common during the annual dry
season in Cikakak and other villages in Banyumas.

"During the rainy season, we're not worried about them
attacking, because they have food in the forest. The monkeys come
down to our villages in smaller numbers and do not raid our
plantations," Sastro said.