Antara 14 Feb 10;
Sukabumi (ANTARA News) - Some 100 residents of Cijurey village in Sukabumi district, West Java, on Sunday hunted wild monkeys for destroying their crops in an apparent revenge for the destruction of their habitat by people.
According to Cujurey village chief, Roni Mamahit, the monkeys that live in Curug Cisayang hills came down and destroyed the people`s crops in revenge.
"State-owned forest management company PT Perhutani is running a production forests in these hills, and frequent cutting of trees destroys the monkey`s habitat," he said.
As a result, hundreds of wild and upset monkeys destroyed people`s crops and plantations, Mamahit said.
The Cijurey villagers had been chasing away the monkeys to the Cisayang Curug hills since 9 am Sunday with rifles and other weapons.
The hunt was conducted after many villagers were upset that 20 hectares of rice and other crops were destroyed by the monkeys, Mamahit said.
Until Sunday afternoon, the hunt was not very successful because the monkeys always managed to escape to the hills, which are difficult to reach by the villagers.
He said destruction by the monkeys in the residential areas had been going on for the last three years, although the villagers have tried to chase them away.
"The villagers also managed to catch 30 monkeys roaming in their villages. And some of the villagers even pointed the monkeys by giving them poisoned banana," he said. Nevertheless, the monkeys kept coming back for their destruction spree.(*)
