Troops of monkeys wait eagerly along the deserted national highway for food from dawn to dusk, little knowing about a lockdown that has put a stop to vehicular and human movement in the wake of the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
The simians habituated to being fed by passing bus and truck drivers, tourists and local residents, today still hopefully wait to be fed along the national highway that passes through the picturesque Keshkal valley.
The densely forested valley, the only entry point to the tribal-dominated Bastar division in Chhattisgarh is also home of a large number of monkeys.
With the summer setting in there will be shortage of food and water, two vital essentials for the survival of the long-tailed primates who have over the years become depended on humans for their sustenance.
Hundreds of monkeys can be seen sitting along the highway, waiting with a hope that some vehicle will come along and provide them food and water.
Driven with hunger, many of the long-tailed primates, have returned back to their habitat deep within the dense jungles, many, however, can be still seen lining along the highway in the desperate hope, to be fed.
Most of the female monkeys are heavily pregnant and residents of the valley are now coming forward to feed them at times, depending on whatever means they have but are unable to provide the wild animals water.
Divisional forest officer (DFO) Manivasagan S told The Pioneer that people have been feeding high-calorie diet to the monkeys in the wild.
The DFO said that 75% of the forest in the region has dense tree coves and enough natural food is available for the monkeys to forage.
“But the monkeys along the national highway have become so habituated to easy diet provided by human beings that refuse to budge.
“Now with no food available, a large number of the simians have returned to their natural habitat within the forest in search for food,” Manivasagan S said.
“The best option for the monkeys still remaining, should be to return to their natural habitat and forage for food available in the forest,” he said.
The divisional forest office is getting calls from the local people, asking the department to feed these wild animals to save them, said the DFO.
“But in view of a tiger being affected by Covid-19 virus(in a zoo in Bronx in New York, in the US) and guidelines issued by the national and state zoo authorities, there is no option for feeding them,” he said.
“The best option is, the monkeys will have to return to their natural habitat, like other wild animals and forage for food from the forest.”
On the scarcity of water, the DFO said, at present there are several water holes and natural streams in the region.
“If necessary, in future, more such water holes will be dug and fruit- bearing trees will be planted.”
