Arghakhanchi Forest Office Appoints Monkey Keepers to Protect Crops

Arghakhanchi. While protecting agricultural crops from monkey menace is proving difficult, the Division Forest Office Arghakhanchi has moved forward with the process of appointing 'Monkey Keepers'. The office has called for applications to protect crops and manage monkeys in 26 areas severely affected by monkeys in the district.

Although applications have been called for 20 people for now, the office has stated that this number may increase or decrease depending on the workload.

To be appointed as a Monkey Keeper, one must be a permanent resident of the monkey-affected area. The age limit is set at not exceeding 45 years, and the applicant must have an interest in forest, wildlife, and biodiversity conservation.

Priority will be given to experienced individuals who have worked as community forest consumer group members, forest keepers, or nursery keepers. Selected keepers will receive a monthly salary of Rs 12,500.

Appointed keepers will have to regularly monitor monkeys, provide timely information to farmers, and record crop damage caused by monkeys, reporting it to the ward and forest office. Most importantly, their main responsibility will be to drive monkeys away from agricultural areas towards their natural habitats in an environmentally friendly manner without causing them any harm.