The Forest Department has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to capture, translocate, release, and rehabilitate monkeys as well as for protection of the animal in conflict with human in both urban and rural areas across the State.
The SOP was formulated by a technical expert committee (TEC) formed by the department following a direction issued by the High Court of Karnataka in a PIL petition, filed by advocate B.S. Radhanandan of Bengaluru, to the government to tackle monkey menace and protect Bonnet Macaque species of monkeys from the hands of unauthorised capturers.
A Division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice S. Vishwajith Shetty, which took note of the SOP, has disposed of the petition by directing the State government to enforce the SOP in letter and spirit.
