Why Shimla monkey menace poses questions beyond human-wildlife conflict

A 63-year-old widow, Satya Devi Chauhan, passed away in August after being attacked by a pack of rhesus macaques on her Shimla home's roof. The incident reignited discussions around human-wildlife conflict. The rhesus macaque, previously protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, lost its status in 2022's amendment. This exclusion shifted responsibility from forest departments to urban local bodies like municipal corporations.

However, these bodies lack adequate funding and expertise to handle the problem. The Shimla Municipal Corporation, for instance, has trained staff to capture and sterilize the monkeys, but charges Rs 700 per sterilization. The city records 50-55 monkey attack cases monthly, with conservationists questioning whether the animals should be treated as vermin or protected species.

Some argue that public feeding exacerbates the issue, pushing wild animals to venture into human habitats in search of food.