Monkey menace in Nepal: An analysis and proposed solutions

Abstract

Monkey menace is a prevalent issue in South Asia and Southeast Asia, where Rhesus macaques are considered pests of major field crops. In Nepal, factors such as monoculture cropping patterns, forest fragmentation, degradation of natural habitats, and changing agricultural practices contribute to increased monkey menace and human-macaque conflict. Factors such as cropping season, food resource distribution, crop variety, wild food availability, and distance from forests and farms influence the frequency and intensity of crop raiding. This study introduced non-human primates, their status, and availability in Nepal, and analyzed different crops raided by monkeys along the Buddhi Gandaki River, frequency and crop raiding season of monkeys in Jhor Mahankal and Goldhunga and suggested some solution measures for the monkey menace in Nepal. Maize was the most raided crop, while pumpkin was the least. The total percentage of crops raided was 24.62%, with an average crop loss of 29.24%. Crop raiding was most prevalent during the spring season (45%), followed by the rainy season (39%), and least prevalent during the winter season (16%). Rhesus macaques refrained from raiding crops with bitter or spicy flavors, such as turmeric, bitter gourd, chili, ginger, and mustard. The suggested control measures need to be followed to mitigate the monkey menace and manage the human-wildlife conflict.