Feeding monkeys not animal welfare, puts them in conflict with humans: Delhi High Court

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has said that civic agencies should carry out a public awareness campaign on how feeding monkeys in the city is not benefiting them and instead puts the simian population in conflict with people.

The court, in its September 30 order directing the authorities to prepare and implement a programme to deal with the monkey menace, also said people should be made aware of the consequences of littering food in public spaces as it attracts monkeys.

Observing that monkeys in forests live on treetops and feed on berries, fruits and stalks, the court said it believes that the citizens of Delhi have the "inherent wisdom" to change their behaviour once they realise that feeding "wild animals is inimical to the animal's welfare as well as human wellbeing".

"One wonders, what has brought monkeys down on streets and pavements? The answer is humans. It's we who have enticed the monkeys out of their natural habitat by feeding them. Giving bread, chapattis and bananas to monkeys harms them and puts them in conflict with people," said the bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela in the order.

"To correct this situation, civic agencies should carry out a sustained year-long public awareness campaign to inform people how their feeding is not benefitting the monkeys. That in fact feeding harms the animals in various ways by increasing their dependence on humans and reduces natural distance between wild animals and humans," it said.

The court underscored that if the people of Delhi want to live in safety, they will have to adopt waste management and not litter food around.

"Open garbage littering in public parks, food hubs, dhabba and canteens etc attracts the monkey population, increasing human-animal conflict... This aspect too needs to be highlighted in public awareness campaign which should be undertaken by civic agencies," it said.

In the order, the court has asked the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to ensure that monkeys are shifted from public parks, hospitals, government offices and residential areas and rehabilitated in the Asola-Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, New Delhi.

It also noted that pursuant to an amendment in the wildlife protection law, the species of monkeys common to Delhi has been "delisted" as a protected species and therefore has to be treated on par with stray dogs and cats.