Context:
In response to increasing human-wildlife conflict and agricultural losses, the Kerala Forest Department is preparing to launch a mass sterilisation programme targeting the bonnet macaque — a primate species endemic to South India.
Mission Bonnet Macaque
- The sterilisation initiative is part of a larger 10-point strategy to address human-animal conflict, named “Mission Bonnet Macaque.”
- The programme includes:
- Population control via sterilisation
- Eco-tourism waste management, especially where monkeys feed on human food leftovers.
Conservation Status
- The macaque is listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, requiring central permission for any such intervention.
- The bonnet macaque is categorised as “Vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to its declining population.
- Population control measures must balance conservation priorities with conflict resolution.
