Authorities in central Thailand were working to round up nearly 100 monkeys that roamed into nearby neighborhoods after breaking out of a government-run enclosure overnight.
Officials said the animals escaped after forcing their way through a section of the enclosure at the Lopburi Municipality Animal Nursery.
The monkeys had been placed under local authority supervision after being transferred from Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Staff at the facility managed to stop more than 1,000 other monkeys from getting out.
Captured monkeys eat fruit during the annual Monkey Banquet at Lopburi Zoo in Lopburi, Thailand, on Nov. 24, 2024. The escape of nearly 100 monkeys from a nearby government-run enclosure prompted a major response from authorities. (Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto)
On Tuesday, provincial officials, wildlife personnel and municipal crews searched surrounding residential areas as the capture operation continued.
Some of the monkeys were coaxed back using cages baited with food. Others, particularly larger and more dominant macaques, required tranquilizer darts before crews could safely secure them.
Repair teams moved to fix the damaged enclosure while officials pressed on with efforts to recover the remaining escaped animals.
Monkeys wait to be fed inside an enclosure during the annual Monkey Banquet at Lopburi Zoo in Lopburi, Thailand, on Nov. 24, 2024. Officials mounted a large-scale operation after nearly 100 monkeys escaped from a municipal enclosure in the city. (Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto)
Lopburi Gov. Weeraphong Ritrod said the damaged enclosure had been repaired and reinforced to help prevent additional escapes.
He said officials also plan to build a more secure, double-layer enclosure designed to keep dominant monkeys from breaking out in the future.
The governor said the province is also preparing to establish a foundation to help support food costs and improve the monkeys’ welfare.
A captured monkey sits inside a cage during a sterilization program at the Monkey Hospital in Lopburi province, Thailand, on June 21, 2020. Officials have worked for years to manage Lopburi’s macaque population after the animals caused problems for residents and businesses. (Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto)
Mayor Chamroen Salacheep said the monkeys may have escaped because of hunger, extreme heat, overcrowding or their natural instinct to roam.
He also apologized to residents affected by the incident and encouraged anyone whose property was damaged to report it so authorities could assess the damage and determine what assistance may be available.
Lopburi has long been known for its large population of free-roaming macaques.
The monkeys have also caused problems for residents and businesses because of property damage and aggressive behavior. Authorities have worked in recent years to reduce the monkey population through sterilization programs and by relocating some animals to dedicated enclosures.
News Agency reached out to the Lopburi Municipality and Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
