The world might be witnessing a real-life version of "Planet of the Apes". Recently, monkeys in the historic town of Lopburi, Thailand, have been getting increasingly aggressive. In February, it was reported that a force of 3,500 monkeys had occupied the city, causing tourists to stay away, shops to close, and businesses to relocate.
There's been another revelation about the ongoing monkey gang turf wars. Netizen @sighyam has reported that the violent clashes between two local monkey gangs are escalating like never before.
Although it's unclear exactly how things have escalated, numerous reports indicate that the local monkeys have indeed become a significant concern, prompting law enforcement to take action. Human authorities are now forced to intervene with full force, cracking down on the monkey gangs. They have even managed to apprehend the kingpin of the monkey underworld along with some key members, in an attempt to alleviate the pressure these primates are putting on the local community.
Some bosses have already shed tears behind bars.
Some of the guys are still scratching their heads.
How do you distinguish the appearance of each character in Mo Luo?
At first glance, this news may seem like monkeys just having a minor scuffle, nothing worth making a fuss over. But if you can't imagine the scale of monkey gangs, take a look at how they clashed a few years ago, causing chaos that rivaled even the notorious gangsters:
Two groups of monkeys are facing off, occupying the street, making it too risky for cars to pass through. To these monkey gangs, humans are nothing but food-distributing NPCs, while they consider themselves the rulers of this city.
Mount Huaguo may seem like a gathering of heroes in childhood memories, but in reality, the vast group of monkeys would definitely make your scalp tingle. There are many reasons they get into fights, like fighting over a banana, a bottle of milk, or a bag of snacks. At the slightest disagreement, they gather quickly, chattering away, before getting into action.
Although these battle scenes are from several years ago, the issues caused by the massive macaque population in the area have not diminished at all. Not only do the monkey gangs engage in fierce fights among themselves, but they also harass local residents. Hence, the Thai authorities were pushed to their limits by the monkey troops and had to take action.
The process of capturing them isn't easy at all. After all, these monkeys have been reigning supreme in the area for years, and they're incredibly clever. They can even recognize weapons, understand body language, and scatter at the slightest hint of danger, making it difficult to apprehend them.
Thailand has established a specialized task force aimed at tackling the macaque menace, poised to assert dominance over these monkeys once and for all.
They're armed to the teeth to avoid monkeys recognizing them, not just concealing their faces but also keeping tranquilizers handy to prevent the monkeys from getting too alert. Their primary tool of engagement is slingshots, although they rarely use them; most of the time, they're just for intimidation purposes.
Another tool we have is the "corn trap". Though it may appear simple, this trap can make monkeys lose their senses at the sight of food. It's more efficient compared to slow-acting tranquilizers that require two or three shots.
During this recent crackdown operation, it's said that over twenty monkeys were apprehended in just three days, with most of them being key members of the gang. Among them was one of the biggest gang leaders, Ai Krao. This monkey is reputed to be fierce, aggressive, and a born criminal, the epitome of evil among monkeys. It's known to bully other gang members to steal food, engage in fights and brawls everywhere it goes, loot goods from drivers, and even attempt shoplifting in supermarkets, stopping at nothing, not even when faced with formidable opponents like Iron Man.
After being apprehended, the individual will undergo neutering surgery and undergo rehabilitation education in an effort to curb their aggressive tendencies. When the boss was apprehended, it was reported that cries from the underlings were heard by those nearby.
The good news for locals is that the chief troublemaker monkey has been caught, but the bad news is there are still thousands of monkeys roaming around the city.
Fortunately, this can also be seen as humanity sounding the horn of "counterattack," hopefully enough to deter the remaining monkeys.
So, why does this place always have monkey "trouble"?
Hua Hin, located in the central part of Thailand, is not only an ancient city but also famous as the "Monkey City". There's even a local festival dedicated to monkeys, highlighting the unique bond between the locals and these primates.
In simple terms, the city's location overlaps with the natural habitat of monkey troops, and influenced by religious factors, humans have peacefully coexisted with the monkeys. The monkeys are also willing to migrate to the city. Eventually, monkeys became a local tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the world to see them.
Of course, as the monkey population explodes and spirals out of control, conflicts between humans and monkeys are on the rise.
With monkeys becoming bolder after adapting to human feeding, they trespass into residences and shops, scavenging for food and causing havoc. Furthermore, due to their excessive numbers, the accumulation of monkey feces is contaminating some water sources, and farmers are afraid to cultivate crops as they risk destruction.
During the pandemic in the past few years, the situation worsened. Thailand faced a dire situation due to the lack of tourists, leading to monkeys, accustomed to being fed daily, falling into a state of famine. Consequently, they became more aggressive, combative, and even erupted into gang wars between monkey factions over food scraps. Previously, a skirmish among three rival gangs broke out over a bottle of milk, resulting in chaos that obliterated the streets.
Well, nowadays, monkeys have developed a taste for human food, shaping their appetite to crave desserts, beverages, and junk food. Unfortunately, indulging in these treats not only harms their health and damages their teeth but also leaves them highly energized and prompts more frequent breeding, leading to an increase in their population.
In recent years, the situation in Huafu has become somewhat of a dilemma. Take the issue of monkeys and tourism, for instance; it's intertwined with the livelihoods of the locals. However, having too many monkeys is also problematic. While efforts to sterilize the monkeys have shown some progress, they are often met with resistance and complaints from animal lovers. Moving the monkeys elsewhere isn't practical either, as it would simply shift the problem to another location.
When it comes to moving, it's funny how years ago there were two monkey gangs that took trains to each other's cities to brawl on the streets. So, who knows, if they've moved away, they might still come back someday. Anyway, let's hope the world doesn't turn into a movie where monkeys take over the world.
(The images and information in the document are sourced from the internet.)
